Mononoke Samurai
by Al Kristopher
Summary: Princess Mononoke/Samurai Jack crossover. Jack has returned from the future, destroyed Aku, and brought peace to his land, but there's always going to be another bad guy out there, and one has just invaded Iron Town!
1. The Legend of the Samurai

Somewhere on the merrier side of Iron Town, there rested a tavern full of men basking in celebration and revelry. Drinks were guzzled one after the other, and loud shouts and violent fits of laughter filled the aromatic air of the pub. The place smelled of beer and smoke, and of the thatch and mud it had been created from, giving the place a very earthy feel to it.

The day had begun just as normally as the last, with the usual trickle of half-dead patrons shuffling inside aimlessly. One of them had an especially big complaint on his shoulders: the world was just too dull these days. Nothing exciting ever happened anymore, not like in years long since past. The bartender, a very well-traveled old man, twirled his dark mustache in his fingers and began to think of a remedy.

What he suggested soon became so wonderful that the very bar was put on the map as the pride of Iron Town. For what this keeper suggested became a longstanding tradition that was kept for many centuries into the future. He suggested that everyone in the bar tell a story, and whoever told the greatest story of them all would get free drinks in the tavern for one month, wherein after such a period, a new storytelling session would begin. At the mention of free drinks, every patron crowded around the keeper and claimed to have a story worthy of such a prize.

The old man calmed them down, and promised that he would listen to every single one of their tales, if only the men gave their names and a title or description of their story. The tender would then record and judge the stories, and a vote would be cast on who told the best. The night began with a fishing story, no surprise, and continued with tales of monsters and beasts and fantastic places. Several men told tales of their real life, and what had happened to them in their past. Others simply talked about nothing, and kept rambling until the tender ordered them to conclude.

When the night grew late and the moon grew full, a grizzly man with a scarred body and a patch over his eye snarled and put himself in the center of the stage. His voice was as rough and bearish as he was, yet every sound that came from his mouth had a hypnotic tune to it. The story he told was particularly interesting, for it involved that very town they were all living in, and a certain event that had happened so long ago, nobody could say whether it was truth or fiction. His story went something like this……

__

Mononoke Samurai

By Al Kristopher

_Adhvanit21@aol.com_

Part One: The Legend of the Samurai

The story begins in times long gone by, in a land forgotten by everyone save for those who still cling proudly to the ancient legends. The name of this land is unknown to me, but I do know that it was a great and mighty empire, one that might have even given birth to the very government we all live under today. This empire was forged from a great and bloody war with a terrifying demon, and after the fighting ended, a short period of peace came to this land. But the demon of times long ago was somehow brought back to the world of lights, brought back out of his pit of hate, and was set free to destroy the land yet again.

All hope seemed lost, for there was no defense for this demon, and so he took it upon himself to conquer and enslave the people of the empire that had caused him so much strife. For many years, the people lived in misery and fear, until a brave warrior wielding a magic sword stepped forth to oppose the demon. The two of them fought a vicious battle, one which the young warrior was very close to winning. Before the final blow was struck, though, the demon threw open a portal in time, and flung the warrior into the future, where the monster's evil was the law.

I don't know what happened to the warrior after that, but legends say that he was able to return to the past, and challenged the demon once again. Because of his vast experiences in the future, the young warrior was able to completely destroy the demon, and set his people free. Slowly, the warrior's kingdom healed itself, and with a new guardian to keep such peace, it seemed like there would be few other problems. After all, the demon had been defeated for ever, and the hero of the battle was now the protector of the kingdom.

"A _what_? This demon, what'd you say he did to the warrior?" The old one-eyed man growled at the half-drunk men and repeated what he had already said.

"I told you, he opened a portal in time and flung the warrior into the future." The drunkards instantly broke out in violent fits of laughter, slamming their fists and kegs on the tables until they nearly shattered. A few even rolled on the floor, suffering from an onslaught of laughter.

"Yer outta yer _mind!_" they shouted. "What the devil's a portal in time? And sending people into the future?! That's ridiculous!!"

"I'm just telling you what I heard," grumbled the scarred man. "These are all loosely connected to the same legend, so some of what I say may be more true than others."

"Yeah right," snorted the men. "You must be even more snookered than _we_ are if you think we're gonna believe that garbage!!" The one-eyed man growled fiercely, and was very close to getting up and leaving the bar. The tender, however, urged him to stay, and since his story was becoming interesting, even the men who were insulting him begged him to stay. The one-eyed man growled at their taunts, but decided to continue his tale. If nothing else, he could humor them with his stories.

As I was saying… The young man returned to his homeland and helped rebuild the place. Yet even as his empire was beginning to rise again, scouts and messengers from distant parts of the country came to him, terror-stricken by news of other evils out there. The young warrior listened to their pleas, and gathered what little information he could from them. He learned that there was a mad necromancer roaming around the distant western wilds, and with him were several of the madman's diabolical concoctions and demonic creations. The insane wizard was causing great peril and suffering to the people of the west, and so the warrior, having been branded a hero for defeating the evil demon, was called upon yet again.

This young man used up only one day to get prepared. He packed very few possessions, bringing his clothes and a small bag of food only--and also, the magic blade which he had used to slay the demon. He bade his empire a reluctant farewell, for this man had really just gotten back a year or two ago, and set out once again on a journey. To make a very long story short, the young man traveled a great distance across the wilderness, over the mountains, through rivers and across the plains, until he came to a certain town that seemed to be the center of the necromancer's attention.

That place was called Iron Town.

"No way!" barked the men. "You mean this very place?"

"I mean this exact spot," indicated the half-blind man. He pointed to a stool in the corner and said, "T'was that very chair, I believe, that the warrior used to rest upon when he came into this bar so long ago. T'was the very inn in the center of town which he visited, and the farms he frequented were our own, and he even paid respect to the great ruins of the ancient smelting pool and what little memories were left from a battle that took place even earlier ago." The man paused to allow the patrons to soak in what he had just said, and took that time to wet his whistle with some beer.

"…Yuh… you're not serious!" barked one of the men doubtfully. One-Eye shrugged.

"Eh. Like I said, most of these legends have been lost or scattered in the wind. It's incomplete, and what I do know is very unbelievable. But, if you don't want me to continue……"

"Please continue, sir!" begged the old bartender. "If not for anybody else, then for me! I am a descendant of one of the original inhabitants of this town, and I would like to know as much of the past as I can! Please, sir, please don't stop now!" The scarred man leaned back in his chair and finished his beer, then wiped his grizzly mouth and gave the whole room a thoughtful stare.

"Tomorrow," he said. "I'll continue my story tomorrow. It's getting late anyway, ain't it?"

"…W-well, yes, I… I suppose…"

"Sorry to leave you hangin' like that, old man," shrugged One-Eye, "but I gotta get my rest. I work all day and drink all night, so if you'll excuse me, I gotta go. If anybody wants to hear the rest of my story, come back tomorrow when the tavern opens. I'll be glad to tell anybody interested enough. Well, later." The man got up out of his chair, waved farewell to the patrons, and tossed a sheet of money to the tender. He walked out the door and back into the bustling town, but surprisingly, nobody could claim to see him around for the rest of the day. It was like he had vanished off the face of the earth…

****

To be continued…


	2. Warrior Prince Meets Warrior Prince

It was a disgustingly bright and sunny day that was ushered in that afternoon. A big ball of merry fire was riding high in the cloudless skies, birds were singing songs of melody and beauty, the woodland creatures were scurrying around playfully, and the citizens of Iron Town were basking in the lazy and luxurious warmth of a peaceful spring afternoon. All was good in the world!

In the Iron Town Tavern, things were brewing up quickly. Word had spread of a strange-looking and unbelievable storyteller that could spin yarns as doubtful as any old wife--and yet there had been a trace of truth in the man's words. Patrons from the day before, and a few newcomers, were all waiting inside the bar to hear the rest of the one-eyed man's tale.

He came in just a few minutes after opening hours, weary from the day's work and ready to kick back and relax. He was greeted with reasonable warmth from the patrons inside the earthy tavern, and bought a large flagon of beer for himself before settling down. All eyes were fixed on his scarred frame as he found a chair and swallowed his drink, but none dared make a sound so as not to offend him. They wanted to know the rest of his story.

"…Well?" he grumbled after guzzling his beer. "What're you all lookin' at?"

"The story, man!" indicated the old tender. "Did you forget about the story?"

"Oh yeah… right… that… Well, uh, do you all really wanna hear the rest of it?"

"Yeah!" came the voices of everyone there. One-Eye grew an invisible smile and sipped more of his drink.

"Well, okay… Now where was I?"

"You were at the part where the young warrior had made it all the way to Iron Town!" pointed one of the younger man. One-Eye smiled and nodded his head.

"Oh yeah, I was. Yeah, it's all comin' back to me now. Here, listen up. I've got more time on my hands now that you sorry losers aren't yappin' up the place, so you'll hear a lot more. Now… It all began long ago, so long ago that even the oldest person in this village wasn't born, nor even his great-grandparents. It started on a dark and drizzly day, not like today at all, with the rain fallin' down from the heavens like the tears of the gods……"

Mononoke Samurai

Part Two: Warrior Prince Meets Warrior Prince

A single solitary warrior walking across the slippery mud and rock of a lengthy mountain dared to glance upward briefly. The straw hat covering his head blocked the falling droplets of water, but the road was not so fortunate. The rain was coming down in light, stinging slices, like little fingers tickling the earth. The skies above were very dark and cloudy, perhaps portending to an omen, perhaps to clear away some bad blood in the world. It was as if the very gods themselves were mourning over some terrible loss; these were not tears of joy.

The traveler paused only briefly before continuing. His feet carefully guided him across the mountain and towards the large property of land that he had heard only whispers about. As the place came into better view, the traveler spotted a large lake being pocketed by the falling droplets of rain, and even a few large fish playing in the drizzle. The shore of such a lake was locked by an area that had a bit of a mountain to it and a bit of a forest, and such a forest that the traveler had never quite seen before.

The woods before him, though dark from the rain and the clouds above, seemed to radiate with a magical energy that could not be found anywhere else--and in reality, it probably _was_ rare to find such an enchanting grove. The massive sylvan property seemed a stark contrast to the immense fortress-like construction that was positioned somewhere between the shore and the lake.

The traveler was not too near the fortress, yet he could already smell faint whispers of iron, steel, and magma being worked in such a place. He could also hear the hubbub of townspeople working and moving about, though it was dulled because of the rain. There was civilization here, not too far from the rest of the world but not too close to it either, and combined with the black clouds, the lake, and the magical forest, the fortress gave off a very eerie and foreboding sensation--but somehow, not an evil one…

No. There was evil elsewhere.

Not feeling anything except for the falling rain, the traveler continued on the slick path, walking towards the fortress with only his straw hat, clothes, and sword with him. He had received messengers just a few days earlier that expressed severe distress: trouble was brewing in this area of the land, and behind it was a power that could only be described as monstrous. The traveler had seen this power at work before, many times in his life, and he would most certainly meet it again. But, there were no disturbances that day, except for the muffled sound of people working inside the fortress.

Approaching the large wooden gate, the man stopped and waited for the gatekeeper. She came--_she_, noted the man--and asked him what his business was.

"Heeeeey! Who goes there?!" The man cupped his hands over his mouth so he could be heard over the rain.

"My good lady, I was sent by my kingdom to come here and quell the evil that has beset your land! If it is not too much trouble, please raise the gate and let me inside!"

"What proof do you have?" she asked. The man dug into his kimono and pulled out a sheet of paper bearing his family's insignia. The girl's face brightened upon recognizing the familiar seal, and told the man to wait as the gates were opened.

As the large gate slowly creaked open, the man got his first glance inside the town. A great village awaited him on the other side, pulsing and throbbing with a hundred sensations from all sides. The traveler saw houses made of wood and thatch and stone, belching smoke out of their chimneys and people milling around their structures. He saw dirt roads beneath him, sometimes mixed with stone or wood, but mostly left to the desires of the earth. Tools of iron and copper were being molded in smith's shops and a limited number of wares were being sold in the small markets scattered across. Oxen mooed and chewed on cud in the farm areas; workers in straw hats planted rice in marshy waters and mashed wine in great barrels with their feet.

The traveler saw men of the common earth working and wandering around, unattractive yet strong and proud. There were robed women scattered around, most of them buzzing around the market but quite a few were nagging the men on as they saw fit. There were some unidentified people there as well, wrapped in cloth from the forehead to the feet. The traveler remembered these people to be known as lepers, and the girls looked to be from a brothel, and the men might have been unearthed from the very soil themselves. Smoke and fog whispered across the busy inner structure as the traveler made his way through the fortress; rain continued to fall from a sky dark and bleak.

The man knew what the experience of having all eyes in the room staring at him felt like, and a similar sensation struck him now. Most everyone in the dreary town gazed in awe as the man walked through their town, a few of them causing minor work-related accidents because of their absent minds. Yet nobody attacked or questioned him, and he could only have the parchment he carried to blame.

Stepping his way towards the gut of the town, the man was stopped by a tall man who had more hair on his chin than he did his head. The sword he carried was long and deadly, but the traveler could easily tell that the man was more bark than bite.

"Well, who might you be?" asked the bald man. The traveler gazed at baldy through the slits in his straw hat and only whispered a few words.

"They call me… _Jack._"

"Jack?!" The bald man growled in confusion, let out a _humph_, and loosened his grip on his blade. "I am Gonza, the Lady Eboshi's right-hand man. Tell me, stranger, why have you come here?"

"I believe that this fortress has sent messengers to my kingdom, regarding the appearance of a vile enemy," answered Jack calmly. "I am my kingdom's greatest warrior, and so I have taken it upon myself to journey to this town in hopes of assistance." Gonza studied Jack and let his words stew around in his brain for awhile before responding.

"I see… But you do not look like a great warrior."

"Perhaps there will come a time when I can prove my claims," said Jack calmly. "Until then, you will have to trust me. Please, let me stay here in this town until I have destroyed the evils besetting your village, and in return for your kindness, villainy will set foot on your town no more."

"You talk pretty smooth for a great warrior," commented a female's voice from behind. Jack turned his head slightly to find himself looking at a cheery woman roughly his age, swathed in a pale-orange kimono and topping a turban on her head. She smiled at him and extended her hand.

"Toki," she said, and Jack introduced himself and removed his hat for the lady. "You'll have to forgive Gonza's behavior," said Toki coolly. "He has more muscle than brains."

"Why, you--" Jack smiled and even let out a polite chuckle.

"I did not come here to make such domestic trouble," he said with a fading smile. "I merely came to offer my assistance. There have been too many times in the past where I have seen destruction haunt people's lives. If I can ease or prevent these troubles from happening, then I will be able to rest with a glad heart."

"Compassionate, eh?" smiled Toki. "So, are you single?"

Jack blushed just slightly.

"…Well, ah, uh, no, I am not."

"Aaah…!" sang Toki merrily. "Well, I'll just have to, eh, remember that, eh? Now, Jack, since you're our esteemed guest, won't you let me take you away from this dumb old ox and to a place where you can meet someone who's _really_ in charge??"

"You be quiet, woman!!" snarled Gonza. Toki gave him a bitter look and the "dumb ox" could only glare back.

"Actually, if it is not too much trouble…" said Jack.

"Nahh, of course not! Lady Eboshi will be very pleased to meet you! Though I must admit, I don't know why your kingdom would only send one warrior--_but_, I guess they have their reasons…"

"……Yes," managed Jack after a pause. Toki took him by the arm and led him to the finest hut in the whole village, one that contained the esteemed leader of the fortress-town. Gonza was left behind to snarl and steam.

Jack was guided through the town of mud, clay, and iron, with several people waving at him as if his foreign appearance was no longer an issue. The townspeople must've figured that if Toki trusted him enough, then he was okay. Jack also got some definite looks from other girls in the town, and though he had to gaze at a few of them in wonder (he had to gaze _away_ from the more lewd ones), he tried not paying much attention to them.

"…Excuse me for asking," he said as he walked with Toki, "but can you tell me anything about this town? I am unfamiliar with this place."

"Well, for one thing, the people who live here are the Tatara," indicated his "guide". "We call it Iron Town, because of the massive iron ores that were buried in the sand and beneath the mountains. In fact, that's where we get most of our income, from the iron that was dug out and smelted here."

"I see… Well, maybe I can understand it if, perhaps, a rival town or a greedy shogun would want such property, but how has it come to pass that a necromancer has set his sights on the place?" Suddenly, Toki stopped dead in her tracks, nearly jerking Jack's arm. He looked back at her and saw a dark and terrified face, shivering with horror and murky confusion. Toki was obviously upset over Jack's question, and he quickly made an apology.

"I am sorry," he sighed. "I did not mean to mention such a thing. I am merely curious." Toki, however, remained completely still, her dark face shivering just slightly in the cold rain. Finally, she blinked out of her stone state and pointed a finger towards a nearby hut.

"…Lady Eboshi can answer your questions," she said. Then, without another word, Toki slowly turned around and went back to where she had been before meeting Jack. The wandering samurai rubbed his chin in deep thought, and mentally shaped the first piece to a very large and very complex puzzle. These thoughts were soon put aside as he made his way up to the Lady Eboshi's house. Three quiet knocks on the door and he was allowed inside.

Another former brothel girl, much younger and thinner than Toki, greeted Jack and presented herself as his guide to the Lady of the estate. The place was warm with merrily-lit torches and decorations, and not a one of the tapestries or tables in the room suggested anyone who arrogantly wielded their obvious power. Everything was beautiful yet subtle, giving the place a higher--but not too high--feel to it. Jack could only guess at the Lady's humility.

As the girl led him through the house, Jack noticed a young man sitting in one of the larger rooms, hammering nails out of stone and steel. The young man looked up briefly to see who was passing by his door, and his eyes instantly locked with Jack's. Suddenly, all of time and space seemed to freeze in that single glance, and a hundred thoughts, emotions, and feelings traveled between the two men. Jack almost felt a kind of kinship with this man, perhaps even a loose connection…

But as soon as it began, the moment ended, and Jack's eyes were jarred away from the other man's. He blinked the fuzziness out of his vision and mentally wondered who such a person was. His instincts told him that Eboshi would know.

"Here you are, sir," presented the girl that had been guiding Jack around. He smiled and bowed with respect.

"Thank you." Jack entered into Eboshi's room, noticing that it was halfway bathed in eerie candlelight. A portion of the room was completely empty, of possession or of person, yet this entire side was covered by lights from several glowing candles. The other side was dark, as dark as the clouds in the sky, but this problem was soon remedied as a match was struck and a candle was lit. The single aura of light in the room illuminated just a tiny sliver of a person--mainly, the face of the woman Jack could only assume was Eboshi.

Instinctively, he bowed low and long, and stood straight once again to address her. Eboshi's gaze was not fixed on Jack, but on the part of the room that was bathed in lights. It was almost as if Eboshi longed to be in the bright part of the room, yet some force kept here there, in the darkness, with but one light to shine out for her. Finally, though, she snapped out of her daze and turned her eyes to the samurai standing in her doorway.

"Forgive me for keeping you waiting, stranger," she said. Jack liked her voice. It was very smooth and melodic, with an accent strangely foreign even to that very country, and held no malice in it at all. "I do sometimes lose myself in my thoughts. Please, come in, so that we may speak."

He did so.

"Sit," bade Eboshi, and Jack found a cushion to rest on. Smiling just faintly, Eboshi leaned forward a fraction and began to scribble something on a sheet of parchment. "I apologize for not having anything here for you to eat," she said. "We did not know if our pleas going to be answered, but we are grateful for your appearance. Tell me, what is your name?"

"I am known only as _Jack,_" replied the samurai. Eboshi smiled for real this time.

"Jack…… A quaint, somewhat simple name. Tell me Jack, if you don't mind my asking, why is it that your country has sent only one warrior to help us, and not an entire army? I don't mean to offend you or what skills you may have, but we had been expecting more to arrive, if ever assistance came to us."

"I understand what you are saying," he replied, "but I must also beg for your forgiveness when I say that I am all that you will receive--and, not to boast, but I may be all you will need."

"Is that so?" she asked wryly. "Well, Jack, I do not know how skilled you are, or what you are capable of, but if your country has sent you here alone, then they must have great confidence in you."

"…Yes… they do," he answered quietly. Eboshi smiled again. From what Jack could already ascertain, this Lady of Iron Town seemed to be a very gentle and wise ruler, who was fiercely respected in the town and loved by all who lived there, albeit maybe a trace on the unordinary side. Jack could draw no other conclusions from her just yet, but time would yield more secrets for him to unearth……

"…Then perhaps we should trust their judgment," said Eboshi after a pause. "In any case, I am sure that you have many questions for me. Feel free to ask anything, but be warned that I may not give you the answers you like, nor even an answer at all."

"I have many questions," he warned. "…But first of all, can you tell me who the young man constructing nails was?"

"Oh, I see you have noticed Ashitaka," said Eboshi with a wry smile. "…Let us say for now that he is our 'resident peacekeeper'. I myself know very little about him, except that his beliefs and mine have often came into conflict in the past. For the time being, he is merely helping to rebuild our town, in exchange for a place to call home."

"…Rebuild?"

"It's a long story," muttered Eboshi emptily, "and one that bears little relevance to the current situation." Jack rubbed his chin, nodding his head every once in awhile as another piece to his mental puzzle was constructed.

"I see. I would like to meet this Askitaka soon."

"You will," guaranteed Eboshi mysteriously. "But now, allow me to clarify whatever is on your mind." Jack nodded his head, and made a gesture to Eboshi as he gave her his first question.

"Lady Eboshi, I have learned from my brief stay here that this is a town rich in iron, and that this property is perhaps sought after by greedy outsiders. But what puzzles me is, why would a necromancer be interested in such a place?"

"Necromancer?" parroted Eboshi. "Why, wherever did you get that idea?"

"The messengers that came from this town, or this region, claimed to have suffered an attack from a necromancer--a wizard who can conjure up the undead." A thick silence suddenly filled the room as Jack stared into Eboshi's eyes, and the Lady kept suspiciously mute during the whole time. She didn't smile nor even smirk. Instead, a dark and haunting look grew on her face, one not too unlike the one seen on Toki earlier.

"…I choose not to answer your question," murmured Eboshi quietly after a pause. Jack drew in a deep breath.

"I really insist."

"I really insist the same." Another pause.

"…Very well. Then, answer me this: are the rumors true? Am I correct in saying that a necromancer has attacked this area?"

"It can be said that you are correct," replied Eboshi ambiguously. "I don't know anything about a necromancer actually being in the area, but I will say that many demons and monster that might come from such a madman have been stalking around here."

"Thank you; that is all I needed to know," sighed Jack. "Now, for my next question. How many times has this village been attacked by such demons?"

"Five times," said Eboshi, holding up that number of fingers. Jack swallowed nervously.

"Five times…? And yet the town looks to have been hardly damaged at all!"

"Remember, Jack, we are people who can produce iron very quickly. We are fast in rebuilding damage--but more than that, we have our own fashion of defense that has so far prevented these demons from inflicting great casualty. We have done well up to this point, but as you might know, any additional help would never be refused. …Ha… we may even need to ask that crazy girl for help…"

"Who?" he asked. Eboshi blinked several times and shook her head.

"…Nothing. I'm just talking to the wind. In any case, I suppose that one warrior would be better received than nobody at all." A pause.

"…Yes. Now, for my next question."

"Proceed."

"Would I be given food and shelter during my stay, or would I have to find those myself?"

"We're not barbarians, Jack," said Eboshi warmly. "We would never refuse the company of a guest, especially one who has volunteered his valuable time in helping us. I cannot allow you to stay in this house, or the residence just past here, but you will find warm lodgings anywhere else you wish. The people of this town will happily care for you during your stay, even if you do little more than assist in rebuilding." Jack smiled lightly at Eboshi's kindness, and bowed his head in thanks.

"I thank you. I shall do whatever I can to repay you."

"As shall we. But, it is getting late now, and unless you have any more questions, I shall dismiss myself."

"No, I have been given enough information. I thank you for your time, Lady Eboshi." Eboshi smiled and stood out of her chair, Jack following suit after her, and the two bowed and bade each other thanks and goodnight. The girl who had guided Jack through Eboshi's house was summoned again, and secret instructions were given to her while Jack waited. With a final smile, Eboshi saw Jack leave, and wished him good luck and safety; the same was expressed towards her.

"…In here, milord," said the girl, stopping before a small oak door. The rain had not ceased at all, and had in fact intensified as the day grew darker. It was black enough to be considered night, and since Jack didn't quite know what the morrow would bring, he would definitely consider an early bedtime.

"…My home?" asked Jack. The girl smiled.

"Yes. You will be rooming here, with lord Ashitaka, as per Lady Eboshi's instructions. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Jack nodded his head and thanked the girl once again; inwardly, he gave off a wry smirk, and thanked Eboshi for the favor. He had asked to be acquainted with Ashitaka, and now the Lady was granting his request. Jack reasoned that he was going to like Eboshi very much, and perhaps Ashitaka as well. Only by opening the door would he find out.

"…Hello? Lord Ashitaka, are you in here?" Jack called out to his would-be roommate, and searched the small cabin for the younger man. The place was constructed from logs and thatch, with stone for the fireplace and planks for a floor. The room he was currently in was empty, but after exploring a bit, Jack found his roommate sitting in the bedroom, calmly staring at a warm fire. For awhile, Jack kept his silence as he gazed at the young man and the flames.

"…Are you Lord Ashitaka?" he asked quietly. The young man turned his head and nodded.

"Yes, I am. You were that man I saw earlier, weren't you?"

"That is correct. I am called Jack, and Lady Eboshi has been kind enough to give me lodgings in your home, if that is not inconvenient."

"No, it's okay," said the young man with a whisper of a smile. "I get a little lonely sometimes anyway." Jack quietly sat down next to the young man, and was just about to explain his presence there, but Ashitaka beat him to the punch.

"That robe… and that sword… You are not from this part of the land, are you?"

"No. I have come from afar to assist this town in any way I can." Ashitaka slowly nodded his head.

"I see. So you're a foreigner as well…"

"You are not from here?" asked Jack.

"No, I came from the east. It doesn't matter where; I can't go back anyway. This…… is my home now." A pause. Jack took in a deep breath as he thought about what the boy had said. He could easily draw a similarity between his own past experiences--or was it his _future_ experiences?--and the boy's situation. Jack knew what it felt like to be exiled from his home, and to never be able to return there, and to constantly wander the world in solitary loneliness.

"…I see." Ashitaka gave Jack a warmer smile and apologized.

"Sorry. I'm a little more morose today than usual. It's just… a lot of things have been going on. There's so much on my mind."

"I can easily relate to you, Ashitaka," said Jack. "I, too, have been in a very similar situation. I cannot say how exactly, for you may never believe the story."

"Nor you mine." Jack smiled and nodded his head, but he couldn't stop thinking about the terrible rumors that had surrounded his entire purpose of being there. A necromancer, conjuring up demons and monsters? For what purpose? For the iron? For the people? For revenge? What?

"Is there something bothering you?" asked Ashitaka, noticing Jack's thoughtful face. The samurai affirmed it.

"…Y…es… …But, perhaps you do not wish to speak about it."

"So, nobody told you about the necromancer yet, eh?" muttered Ashitaka. Jack straightened up instantly and stared at the younger man in amazement.

"You mean you know of him?" A pause.

"No… or, not as much as I want to. Yes, I can understand why nobody wants to talk about it. There's great fear in this land, Jack, fear of things beyond our control and our reasoning. Not even the gods could generate such terrors…" Jack knelt down and stared straight into Ashitaka's eyes.

"If you know so much, please tell me about it!" he insisted. "If I am going to battle this monster, I will need to have more information! You seem to be the only one who is not afraid to talk about him!!"

"That's not… exactly true," murmured Ashitaka darkly. "But… I am willing to tell you what I do know. Have a seat, Jack--this is going to be a difficult story for you to hear." And so, the samurai sat back down in his chair, and Ashitaka prepared to tell him of the terrifying villain that had covered all of Iron Town in such a dark blanket of fear……

"…You know, I think that's a good place to stop for now."

"NOOOO!!!!" shouted the patrons. "You gotta be kiddin'! You can't stop there! Not now! Yer just gettin' to the good part!!" The One-Eyed storyteller grinned at his eager audience hungrily, with just a trace of evil glinting in his only operable eye.

"So, first ya say that my story's a bunch of garbage, and now ye can't get enough, eh?"

"Shut up and tell us the story!" shouted a very drunk man. One-Eye snarled and lazily stood out of his chair.

"Tomorrow," he grunted. "I'll continue tomorrow. I got a headache, and I don't feel too good right now…" The patrons protested, but the grizzled man ignored their pleas as he left the bar and emerged back into Iron Town. By that time, night had already fallen and the moon was glowing gently. One-Eye snorted at the perfect end to the perfect day, and honestly hoped that his next visit to the tavern would be on a darker day. His story sure wasn't going to have a happy ending.

****

To be continued…


	3. Raynard Gelasso

The following day, the bartender in the Iron Town pub had the gall to open his store earlier than usual, but considering how many customers he was getting thanks to the scarred storyteller and his fanciful tales, his actions were understandable. The men of the town especially appreciated the gesture, and gave a rousing cheer to the tender as he unlocked his doors one hour ahead of schedule. Even a few of the women, who had heard about the storyteller from their husbands and friends, had came to the tavern.

Of course, the grizzly man was there as well. He had anticipated the tender opening his doors early like this, and had strolled on by just to make sure. The crowd that had gathered outside the pub cheered the very minute the storyteller came into view, and begged him to resume the story. He had left off on a perilous cliffhanger; the poor townspeople had to wait a whole day to hear the rest of it. Right then, the scarred man knew that he had these people eating out of the palm of his hand.

"Beer!" he demanded as he set foot in the tavern. "Where's my beer?"

"Here, on the house!" blurted the tender as he scurried behind the bar. A mug was given to the one-eyed man, and vanished quickly. Two more drafts were guzzled down his throat before he said anything else.

"…Ahh, tis' good stuff! You make an excellent brew, bartender!" The crowd that had gathered inside the bar cheered for the tender, but soon their celebration turned into a chant, demanding the story from the lips of the grizzly man.

"Tell the story, tell the story, tell the story, tell the story!" they would chant. The one-eyed man smiled gleefully as he heard their cry, and knew that he could keep this up for many more days to come. Slyly, he leaned back in his chair, cleared his throat, and demanded silence. It was already obvious who would win the contest, but for the moment, the tale would have to continue.

"So, where was I?" he asked.

"Prince Ashitaka was just telling Jack about the necromancer!" stated one of the drinkers. One-Eye nodded his head.

"Oh yeah, now I remember! Well, Ashitaka and Jack had just sat down to discuss the evil that had been plaguing that land. Jack, who had seen his fair share of demons and otherworldly apparitions, thought that there was very little that Ashitaka could tell him that would not surprise him. But, in only a few moments, the samurai learned that there are some horrors that are best kept silent……"

Mononoke Samurai

Part Three: Raynard Gelasso

"It all happened a few days ago," began Ashitaka quietly. "I was working outside, mending a few of the more broken-down homes. I had just gotten back from running a few errands in the nearby forest, and I didn't expect to see anything out of the ordinary that day. Most of the other men were set on rebuilding what little there was left, and the women were tending to the injured and the fields. Everyone was working hard to reconstruct this place into a town that was free from hatred and war.

"Lady Eboshi changed over the years we spent reconstructing Iron Town. I might not believe it from time to time, but it seems as if she's turned into a saint. She's been hard-set on mending her ways and correcting the errors and sins that have been such a burden on her shoulders. I don't know why this is--perhaps the Great Forest Spirit's death and rebirth had a profound effect on her. Whatever the reason was, Eboshi changed, and with her, the town changed as well. It would no longer be a place where iron was mixed in with the blood of innocent forest spirits."

"I… do not think I understand all of this," said Jack warily. Ashitaka gave him a lame smile.

"That's all right. Most of what I'm saying isn't important to the situation at hand. I just like to explain a few things--you know, go into detail."

"Ah. I apologize. Please, continue." Ashitaka did.

"Anyway, the town's slowly begun to resurrect itself over the past. Many new lives were created to replace those lost in the fighting, and the forest began to prosper anew. Things seemed to be looking up for all of us, until…" Ashitaka paused, and allowed a long silence to break his story. The intermission was so long that Jack began to grow concerned.

"…Yes? Is there something wrong?" Another pause.

"…Mm? Oh, sorry. I was… thinking. Anyway, to put things simply, we were… attacked one day by a monster. This beast wasn't like anything any of us had ever seen before, and believe me you when I say that I've seen a lot. It was like a monster, but worse--no, even worse than a demon. The terrors of Hell and Hades couldn't begin to describe such a malignancy, but I remember the whole experience like it had been yesterday.

"It was a humongous creature, indescribable in appearance, but closely resembling a man's body and a bull's head. The monster was completely black all over, and had a hide as thick as stone. It took all our skill and more to simply drive the beast away, and when it came back, we were forced to use what little guns we had left to destroy it. The monster's destructive power was massive--it tore through our town like a flame tears through paper, wiping out everything we had worked so hard to rebuild. It even…"

"Yes?" asked Jack, noticing how tense Ashitaka had become. The young man had his face tightened, his eyes squeezed shut, and his fists balled up, like he was suffering from great inner and outer pain.

"…It even devoured a few of the townspeople," muttered Ashitaka in horror. Jack gasped in surprise, his own mouth hanging wide open. Anger slowly replaced his horror, though, and with it came the steely determination of a samurai warrior.

"That is barbaric!" he hissed. "But, you _were_ able to destroy it, correct?"

"That's right," sighed Ashitaka in a thick voice. "We were able to cut it down to size with our guns, and then we torched the monster just to make sure. When it died, it evaporated into a black mist. After the bull-man monster attacked us, all of Iron Town was put on high alert. Security was tightened and weapons of defense were being constructed once again. Eboshi made it clear that these tools were to only be used as a means to slay any other monsters that might show up, and that they would never be used to unjustly harm another individual. Many people… supported her, as fiercely as ever…

"Lady Eboshi was especially adamant about creating more guns. The mere sight of these machines made her face turn ashen and her stomach go sour, but now that there were creatures like the bull-man out there, they were necessary evils. …In any case, Iron Town resumed rebuilding and tried to recover what was lost in the attacks. We didn't think things could get worse from then on out. We were mistaken.

"_More_ demons came to invade and destroy our town, in both greater numbers and greater frequency. One dark day in particular, we received a dozen of the monstrous beasts. That single, long, agonizing day was more nightmarish for me than anything else I had ever experienced in the past. The screams of the people still ring out to me, even in my dreams. It was not just the men or the gunners who were getting killed; women and even the children were dying, invasion after invasion."

"Horrors!!" croaked Jack. "Lord Ashitaka, what you have said to me goes beyond anything I have seen or believed, and I myself have been through many nightmares! Tell me, though, what purpose was there to all these attacks?"

"I don't know myself," he admitted. "But now that we're on that subject, let me go forward a few days and tell you about an even greater terror."

"Greater than those monsters you spoke of? Is that possible?"

"I'm afraid so," mumbled the young man. "A few days after a minor attack by a single creature, we were all gathered in the center of Iron Town to talk about the recent attacks. Some people wanted to leave town, others wanted to make more guns so we'd have a better chance, and still others wanted to make alliances with other neighboring powers. Even Lord Asano, who had been a powerful enemy of ours for a long time now, was mentioned as an ally. Lady Eboshi was away at the moment, purchasing more supplies in a nearby town, so she was not available for council.

"…I remember what happened after that only too clearly. A gigantic demon, as great in size as the Night Walker and perhaps equally as powerful, came rumbling towards our town with havoc in its eyes. However, it did not attack us--it merely produced a man from its hand, and set this man down right in the center of our town. This man introduced himself as Raynard Gelasso, and he inquired about Eboshi's whereabouts.

"Naturally, we were all a bit taken aback by the scene. For one, the former brothel girls became angry at the mention of their benefactor and demanded to know how this man knew of her. Secondly, Gonza and his guards demanded to know how a man like him had the ability to control that large monster, and I myself asked him why he was sending those demons to attack us in the first place.

"Raynard answered all of our questions, but only to a certain degree. He stated that he was 'an old friend' of Eboshi's and had come all the way there to pay her a visit. He was… rather upset to find out that she was not present, but in the end, he left us in peace without destroying so much as a plank of wood. He also mentioned, quite proudly, that he was a necromancer, and that the demon we saw was his own concoction, but the monsters who were attacking us had been those few that were beyond his control.

"I grew enraged after hearing this man speak so callously of the monsters, and drew my sword on him. I suppose it was the right thing to do--after all, he had came to Iron Town without invitation, and demanded to see Lady Eboshi, all the while boasting about his abilities and the way he could or could not handle certain beasts. He was completely apathetic to the death and destruction that those beasts caused, and told us that the deal was out of his hands. So, I guess you could say that I had a right to want to kill him."

All the while Ashitaka was telling his story, about the demons and the attacks and Raynard's appearance, Jack's temper was bubbling like water in a kettle. The samurai began to grow pulsing veins on his forehead and neck, and his teeth slowly began to bare as more and more details surfaced. He impulsively reached for his blade, and as Ashitaka mentioned killing Raynard, the sword was drawn.

"Ashitaka!" he cried. "I swear upon this blade that the monsters that have been plaguing your town will be no more!! By the holy laws of Ten and Chi, I swear to eradicate everything that is preventing your town from blossoming into a peaceful community!! By my blade, this necromancer and his demons will _die._"

"Then we are agreed," said Ashitaka warily. "It seems as if you and I see things the same. We both want to protect this town, and the people in it, and to see them lead the lives they should. Eboshi has paid for her crimes a hundred times over; she deserves a second chance, just as this town and the forest does. None of us deserves the fate we have been forced to swallow." Groaning slightly, Ashitaka stood up and bowed to Jack.

"Raynard did eventually leave us alone," he mentioned, "but he swore that he would be coming back in the future. That was almost a week ago, so the entire town's been on its toes ever since. Sir Jack, Iron Town is still reeling from the attacks suffered upon her, but if you were to help us with what skills you have, then we would be forever grateful."

"I could not live with myself if I did nothing," replied the samurai honorably. "I will stay and help you as much as I can. But… until then, I suppose I should go and get some rest. The hour is late, and I want to be prepared for anything that comes my way tomorrow, so if you don't mind, I will be going to bed." Jack and Ashitaka bowed to each other, and wished the other good-night as they made their way to the bedrooms.

No matter what the outcome, it was going to be a long day tomorrow.

"Jack and Ashitaka didn't sleep well that night," said the one-eyed storyteller. "Prince Ashitaka had a nightmare about the demons, and one can only imagine what went through sir Jack's mind. But the night passed as it always does, and in the morning, the two woke up to prepare for the coming day.

"Well, that concludes today's story," sighed the man. The crowd gathered around him groaned in protest, but no matter what they said, they could not prevent the man from leaving. He made the same promise--that he would return the next day to tell more of the story--and despite such complaints, he left as quietly as he came in. The tender sighed, having two extra hours to spare before he had to close the pub, and wished that for once, the grizzly man wouldn't leave his audience with a cliffhanger.

He could only imagine what the morrow's tale would focus on.


	4. Spawns of Hell

By now, the one-eyed storyteller knew that he had the citizens of Iron Town in the palm of his hand. They had been given little tidbits of a tantalizing story over the past three days, but never quite enough to satisfy their thirsts. The man had been deliberately telling his story in such a way that every day left off with some kind of cliffhanger, or at least a disappointing ending that begged to be expanded on. Now, he had power (however small), and knew that the people would forever crowd around him until the tale was complete. It could even be said that this man's story made the tradition famous to begin with, but that was debatable.

And so, after setting his scenery and introducing part of the cast and the antagonistic conflicts plaguing them, the one-eyed man decided to finally quench the desires of his audience. Up until that point, he had mostly kept a quiet story, with plenty of description but little action. Now, though, things were going to change. Things were going to get a lot more interesting--and yet, there was still so much to tell…

"Now, where was I…?"

Mononoke Samurai

Part Four: Spawns of Hell

The morning was the same as always, quiet and chilly with not much activity to it. Smoke and mist rose up in the still air, the leftover precipitation of the previous storm making things foggy and depressing in the small town. The sky was a drab grayish color, with a chill flooding the world and a soggy dampness clinging to the ground. There was a smell of depression, ice, and darkness in the air--a sort of unfriendly feeling, mixed in with the smoke and the chill. Ravens cawed overhead as they flew by, and Jack woke up shivering. Unfortunately, the fires that had warmed Ashitaka's hut the day before had all died down.

Jack stepped outside to breathe in the foggy, chilly air, and shivered again. The morning was anything but bright and happy--it felt more hollow and cold than anything else. The day was drab and cruel, and void of all life, and not at all pleasant. Jack had a feeling that it was going to be a long day, and a hard one.

Quietly, Jack walked towards the center of the town, trying to find one place that offered a bit of warmth. The only place that would suit his needs was the bellows that gave the town its distinct look, and it was off limits for the time being. Taking in a deep breath, and exhaling ghosts that drifted up into the atmosphere, Jack wandered around in search of breakfast, but found little more than cold, hard bread and a glass of water.

The activity in the town was nonexistent, but at such a cold and early hour, could anybody be blamed for not working? Still, despite the dreary atmosphere, the citizens of Iron Town trickled out of their homes to start the day, each one of them going to their place of business. The town slowly became animated again, but the chill of the day and the grayness of the sky still remained. Jack sighed, but there really was nothing he could do. It was just going to be one of those days.

As Jack moved around the town, trying to find some degree of warmth, he heard the sound of a hammer striking metal several times. The sound rang out like an alarm, ringing across the land with every hit. The people of Iron Town suddenly turned from sluggish and sleepy into chaotic and wild, and the entire town was thrown into a violent frenzy! People began screaming and shouting, some tossing their belongings in the air as they scattered, others knocking things over in their path. Jack, who was in the middle of the confusion, could only stand and watch as disorder took over the town.

"What is going on?!" he shouted. One of the townspeople, a panicky man a few years older than he was, stumbled into Jack and stammered out an explanation.

"Run! Run! I tell you, there's a demon coming!"

"A demon?"

"AAAHHHH, run!!!!!!" The panicked man sprinted away with his hands in the air, leaving Jack all the more confused. The alarm grew more and more fierce, and the people more and more chaotic, and slowly, Jack began to piece things together. That alarm had been set up to alert the town to oncoming monsters--the very same that might have come from the crazed necromancer Ashitaka mentioned! Without wasting any more seconds, Jack sprinted ahead to the highest point of the town, preparing himself to face his newest foe.

"Where is it?" asked Ashitaka. The watchman pointed a trembling finger towards the lake.

"There!" Ahead, swimming fiercely in the ocean like a gigantic alligator, was the monstrous demon--or, as it soon came to be, the demons. Three dragon-like heads just barely poked out of the water as the creatures sped towards the town, sending waves crashing and parting as it speedily drew nearer. Ashitaka stared at the monster in horror, but his fear was quickly multiplied by three as the monsters surfaced.

With an enormous flair, the creatures burst out of the water, sending tons of liquid raining down on the chilly town. It had not been three monsters, though, just one--with three heads. The monster looked to be something like a hydra or a dragon, or some reptilian beast. It had three heads, each one as large and immense and ferocious as the other. The heads drew back, as if to exhale a powerful gust of air, and demonstrated the demonic powers entrusted to them.

One of the heads spewed out flames, sending fire and brimstone raining down on the cold town. Relief from the chill came for but a second, then things began to crack and burn. Lava gushed out, incinerating the grass, and one unlucky man ran flailing around, his entire body washed with flames.

The other head brought forth ice and blizzards as it spewed forth its breath, freezing the lands that had been burning just a few seconds ago. Wooden walls and stone floors shattered under the column of ice and snow, and flakes of frozen razors split the ground apart. Another unlucky man had been caught in such a blizzard, and screamed in agony as his body became frozen solid.

The third head, not to be outdone by its schizophrenic fellows, crashed forward in a powerful bulldoze, smashing the walls of the town like a man's hand smashes through paper. Splinters of wood exploded out in a terrifying rain, and the flames and ice that had been spewed out were stirred up in a massive cyclone as the head crashed through anything in its path. This center head was as tough as a boulder, and though it boasted no special attacks like its predecessors, it was just as dangerous.

Together, the three heads of the demonic monster poured out flames and ice and destruction in their wake. Chaos was set free and the dogs of war yipped fiercely as they began to seek out their prey. Ashitaka, enraged at such destruction, unsheathed his sword.

"We have to stop that thing!" he shouted. "Bring forth the archers and gunners! If Eboshi's serious about using those tools, then there's no better time to use them than now! I'm going to see if I can't cut off one of the heads!"

"The gods be with you, young one!" replied the watchman, and he and Ashitaka separated to go their own ways. The prince hastily stormed out of the town through the broken walls, and bravely dashed towards the three-headed monster. The creature saw the small human, and let out an earth-shattering roar before plunging its center head into the ground. The head missed Ashitaka, but the sudden explosion of dirt and debris caused by the crash was much more difficult to avoid.

Ashitaka leaped backwards with all his might, but was still struck by the rain of earth. An entire mound of soil had sprayed on his body, encrusting him with dirt but otherwise leaving him unhurt. If he had not leaped away so quickly, he would have been buried alive from the debris…

"Monster! As you have emerged from the depths of Hell to wreak havoc on our peaceful town, so I shall send thee back to where you belong! Begone!" With that, Ashitaka charged the monster again, his sword singing out as it prepared to strike.

But from out of nowhere, there came a great scream, and a ringing sound so enormous that it was like hearing the very gods forge steel. A flash of white had darted out in front of the prince, taking aim at the beast with a single powerful blow. The movement had been incredibly fast, faster than Ashitaka's eyes could reckon--but the aftermath was so slow and deliberate that it seemed all of time had stopped.

Ashitaka, frozen from the sudden surprise, stood there gaping as he saw Jack kneeling on the ground, a sword in his hand. The creature was paralyzed too, and for a moment, nothing happened, nothing at all. Suddenly, time resumed ticking: the monster let out a scream, and a large scar appeared where Jack's sword had struck. The slice was somewhere on the monster's belly, emitting ooze and a bit of blood. Jack leaped back and got into a defensive pose, and stood there observing his work.

For awhile, neither he nor Ashitaka could say a word, not even as the creature began to wriggle and writhe in pain. The injury was neither deep nor wide, and not even that serious, but the mere shock of it was painful enough. Slowly, it began to stomp towards its attackers, revenge burning in all six of its eyes.

"We should attack the center head last," said Jack suddenly. "If that one is destroyed first, then the remaining two will mix their properties violently, and the result will be a massive explosion that may wipe out the whole city."

"How would you know that?"

"I have fought something very similar before," answered Jack. "Believe me, it would be much wiser to take out one of the other heads first. My suggestion is to destroy the fire head, since its powers are much more destructive."

"Right--or else, maybe we can turn their powers against each other?" suggested Ashitaka. Jack turned his head to smile at the young man, and nodded his head.

"A brilliant plan, but how would you do it? Especially considering that third head…"

"The villagers can distract it," answered Ashitaka. "I don't think their guns and arrows alone can kill it. It's like it's made out of stone. We should be able to draw the attention of the other two heads on our own. Would you be willing to participate?"

"For the kindness this town has shown me, I would be honored." Jack and Ashitaka smiled at each other, and clasped hands in agreement. From there, Ashitaka told a few of the nearby townspeople his plan, and instructed them all to distract the center head. He doubted that all their guns would be able to crack that tough skin, but even so, he advised them to shoot carefully. An explosion was the last thing they wanted to have happen.

"To arms!" shouted Gonza, handing out bows to every able man that came by. "Every man gets a weapon! Women and lepers, take the guns; men, the arrows and catapults! Load up and aim carefully, and may we have the Lady's blessing while she's away!" One by one, the citizens of Iron Town each grabbed a weapon and some ammunition, and set about the massive campaign. Up until that point, they had defended Iron Town through sheer brute force and determination, oftentimes with Eboshi coaching them on, but this time they were "on their own", with strategy involved.

As the gunners, archers, and catapult operators set up, Jack and Ashitaka each ran a seemingly-suicidal course towards one of the heads, Jack taking the one that spewed flames and Ashitaka the one that belched ice. The two heads of the monster scowled and glared, and vomited out their deadly contents upon their attackers, but both warriors were quick on foot and were able to dodge the blasts. The center head, the one without elemental powers, looked on in amusement and prepared to attack one or the other.

"He's going to attack!" shouted Ashitaka. "Fire now!!" Just as the center head lurched forward to plow up more earth, the catapult operators flung dozens of large stones and fireballs on the beast, smacking it on its rock-hard head. With so many objects falling towards it, the monster was brutally stunned and thus abandoned its initial attack. With a scream, it stomped towards its attackers and prepared to annihilate them all.

"Circle!" shouted Jack, and both he and Ashitaka went to the rear of the monster, desperately trying to get the attention of the other two heads. Their swords were produced, and several small slashes were made against the monster's backside. The creature howled out in pain, and since the two heads could not defend themselves by looking forward, the whole monster turned around to focus on Jack and Ashitaka.

Again, the monster spewed fire and ice at its attackers, but the center head was now learning from their patterns. It dug into the ground despite the rain of arrows and bullets striking its backside, and plowed in so deep that a massive crater was formed. A thick curtain of earth was shot forth in all directions, slamming into the warriors as they ran around the beast. Each one was bombarded by raining debris, and sent tumbling back in pain.

"Aaahh!!!" screamed Kohroku, the ox driver. "They've been hit!"

"Then let's hit back!" stated Toki, and the women all fired their guns at the same time. The rain of bullets tore into the beast, denting its rocky head and ripping apart flesh. The beast turned around to spew a storm of frost at them, but at that moment, one of the more clever catapult operators had let a ball of flaming dung and resin loose on the monster. The sphere of fire was sent hurtling towards the creature, and with an aim so astounding that it became legendary, the ball was sent directly down the monster's throat!

The creature gagged and choked as the fireball sank down into its frosty belly, and smoke began to come out of the monster's mouth. Both Ashitaka and Jack smiled victoriously as the ice-breathing monster was forced to swallow the flaming ball, and it seemed as if one of the heads would be out of commission. With a simultaneous nod, they both sprinted forward to finish the frosty head off, and with the combined power of both their blades, they hacked the head off.

The creature howled in agony and began to blindly claw at everything around it. The fire head and the center head began burning and smashing into everything, while blood and ooze flowed gloriously out of the remaining stump. The stuff was acidic, spraying onto the ground in a digestive sting, corroding the grass and soil and anything else it touched. Nobody was in the path; they had all wisely moved away once the beast grew berserk.

"This is looking difficult!" stated Ashitaka to Jack as they hid from the beast's rage. "Without that one head, our plan changes! I don't think we have the resources to make a ball of ice, and even if we did, that creature's smart enough to not get caught by the same trick twice!"

"Then we shall just have to wait for another opportunity!" replied Jack. Suddenly, the beast gained its senses and stormed after the two warriors, causing them to leap away from their spot.

"Maybe we can confuse it!" shouted Ashitaka as he ran. "If the villagers keep their part, we'll be able to overpower the last head! Just make sure you don't get caught in the flames!"

"I shall! Good fortune to you, my friend!" Both Jack and Ashitaka sprinted off, their new plan coming into motion as they surrounded the beast. Jack immediately stood in front of the fire head, and gained its attention rather easily.

"You! Ugly! Do you want to eat me?!" The creature did, and with one of its heads being picked on by the villagers, it was left to lurch after Jack alone. Suddenly, it felt a powerful sting in the back of its long neck, and wheeled around to see Ashitaka attacking it.

"Don't let that center head get an advantage!" shouted Gonza. "Keep firing! This beast is the hardest thing we've fought yet, so give it everything you've got!"

"I'm out!" shouted Kohroku suddenly. A runner was sent back into town to retrieve more ammunition, and it was up to both Jack and Ashitaka to keep the thing from burning up anything else. Suddenly, Kohroku got an idea, an idea eerily familiar to the one that had been used for the ice head. Quickly, the ox-driver called everyone around him, and whispered his plan to them. After briefing everybody, even Toki had to admit that the plan was brilliant.

"Looks like the Forest Spirit spared you some brains after all!" she said with a smile. Kohroku blushed and stammered, but Gonza fiercely reminded him that "now was not the time to get mushy". By the time the runner came back with several large crates full of gunpowder and iron balls, Jack and Ashitaka had worn the fire head out.

"You all know the plan, right?" said Kohroku as he loaded the catapults. The villagers nodded their heads.

"Right, right. What bothers me is that it came out of _your_ head," remarked Toki. The others spared a laughter, and poor Kohroku was left to load the launchers in shame. Still, it had been his idea, and Toki had to admit that it was a good one. As Jack and Ashitaka continued to confuse the fire head, Kohroku lifted his arm up and waited for the right moment. The monster began to yawn, and opened its mouth to spew out flames…

"NOW!" he shouted, and with that, the catapults all flung their contents at the beast. A hailstorm of iron balls, gunpowder, and explosives all sailed towards the monster's gaping wide mouth, into the beast's belly, where fire was produced…

"RUN!!"

Both Jack and Ashitaka saw the oncoming hail, and knew exactly what the others were planning. Knowing just how well fire and gunpowder mixed, the two screamed out and sprinted away as fast as the could. The contents flew into the monster's open mouth, into the producing flames, and the results were both immediate and--no pun intended--explosive.

The powerful blast blew the fire head to pieces, sending flesh and scales splattering out like droplets of rain. It was a disgusting sight to see, and even more disgusting to suffer through, but the cheer that came from the crowd made up for such horrors. The explosion had been so powerful that it sent the center head (and thus the entire remaining body) tumbling back onto the earth, where it remained for a brief time.

"Come on!" shouted Ashitaka as he gripped his sword. "While it's still stunned! Everyone else, wait for us! If we don't finish it, you all should!" The townspeople agreed, and both Ashitaka and Jack made a mad dash towards the remaining head. The samurai leaped high into the air, swinging his blade towards the heavens in a screaming attack, while Ashitaka ran forth like a tidal wave. Jack's blade smashed the creature's neck at the exact same time Ashitaka's sword did, and together, the force of the warriors' attack split the monster's thick head apart.

The monster's head slowly rolled away from its body, and with a final groan coming out of its mouth, the monster died, and faded away into a black mist. The dark fog was thus carried into the wind, where it dissipated into thousands of molecules and atoms. Nothing remained of the three-headed creature, except for the destruction it caused and the memories it left behind.

Both warriors blew out a huge sigh of relief, and took that time to rest their bodies. Of course, the whole town was now thrown into celebration, and both Jack and Ashitaka--and the two men that had helped destroy the other heads--were lifted up into the air. Not even Jack's stoic nature could prevent the smile that came out, nor did Ashitaka spare his friends a laugh. Kohroku was eating up the celebration hungrily, and the entire town cheered and sang and celebrated the victory. Indeed, as Gonza had said, the monster had been the most difficult creature they had fought to date, and it certainly would have annihilated the town if not for the help of Jack.

But no sooner did the people calm down and thank their heroes, did even more troubles emerge. From the very earth beneath them, a dozen impish demons sprang forth from the ground, sending debris and soil scattering about. These twelve tiny demons laughed and cackled madly, and without a hint of reason in their minds, they began to attack the one-reveling people.

Taken by surprise, Jack and Ashitaka were quickly overpowered by the numbers, and even the other citizens were having difficulty fighting off the twelve imps. Sure, one might've been unfortunate enough to be in the way of an errant spear, but these miniature monsters were too chaotic and wild to fight back. Suddenly, as a few of them were about to pounce on Ashitaka, a blade whistled out of nowhere and sliced straight through one of the beasts, killing it instantly. A puff of black mist was all that remained of the beast.

With the surprise attack and subsequent death of a comrade, the imps turned around to see who dared to meddle in their affairs. Both Jack and Ashitaka were also curious to see who their benefactor was, and turned around to look. This new person was standing on one of the highest houses in the village, silent and still as a stone, with the wind brushing past them gently. Two cold eyes stared down at the place where the imp had once stood, and another knife was produced to finish off another. With but one single word, Ashitaka identified this new figure to Jack.

"…San!!"

**__**

To be continued…


	5. Mononoke Samurai

__

Mononoke Samurai

Part Five: Mononoke Samurai

Standing on the top of a house, her hair and clothes being blown by the calm, chilly wind, was the Princess of ghouls, demons, and vengeful spirits, the _Mononoke_. She was a human on the outside, bearing the makeup and physical traits of Man--but inwardly, she was a wolf. The fierce look in her eyes and the calm way she silently watched her prey was evidence enough that this was an untamed one. She had the tool of a human in her hand, a short blade used for slashing and throwing, and for the longest time, the only thing audible was the blowing wind.

Both Ashitaka and Jack gazed at the girl in astonishment; the townspeople looked to her with mixed reactions. Some were afraid of this wolf-girl, some hated her, and some--a very small minority--gave her the respect she deserved. A few even liked her; one man in particular held very strong feelings towards her. Finally, though, the silence did die down, and a small, wolfish smile came out of the Mononoke Princess' mouth.

"Hello, Ashitaka," she said softly. Ashitaka swallowed and silently nodded his head. The girl's smile died, and in its place, a phoenix of fiery hatred and pure justice exploded. "Now, you demons that have been spawned from Hell, I come to vanquish you! Your very souls shall be torn asunder under my vengeful blows!"

"Torn asunder…" growled the imps. "Vengeful blow!"

"San… San-San… Pretty-pretty San-San…" The girl that which they spoke of snarled.

"You demons are even worse than the humans! By the soul of my dead mother and the Great Forest Spirit, I will kill you all!!!" The imps began to cackle and laugh at a seemingly-empty threat, yet their shrieks turned into screams as the wolfish woman threw another blade in their direction. It plowed straight through one of the imps, blasting it into dark mist before the others knew what had happened. San then exploded into a violent fighting frenzy, and began slaughtering the demonic creatures wherever she went.

Once things began to intensify, Jack and Ashitaka broke free of the imps that had piled up on them and began to help San eliminate them. The two warriors easily hacked apart two, then four, then six, and by this time, all the other villagers had rallied together under the same cause. Now with so many people banding together to fight a rapidly-decreasing threat, the imps would soon be reduced to nothing but black molecules and memories.

Ashitaka's hut held three warriors inside it that day. Once the imp problem had been dealt with, the citizens of Iron Town began to reconstruct their village again. The damage done by the three-headed creature was massive, but thankfully, there had been almost no casualties at all, and for that alone, the people were grateful to Jack. Their attitude concerning San's reappearance was mixed, but with Ashitaka's encouragement, they allowed her to stay temporarily. A few people noted that this had really been the first time the Princess was in Iron Town and was not intent on killing Eboshi or destroying anything. No, San was there in peace, albeit a very uneasy one.

The introduction of San to Jack was a moderately pleasant one. Jack recognized San as the guardian of the forest, and humbled himself before such a woman; San herself received Jack with reasonable acceptance. It was true that she still detested humans in general, though there was always going to be an exception, and the noble samurai was now one of them.

But now with formalities out of the way, the three of them had several matters of great importance to discuss, and as the fates saw it, everything they said revolved around the recent demonic attacks, and the necromancer that had originated them. It seemed that San had had her fair share of hellish invaders as well, hence her sudden presence at Iron Town…

"San… what exactly brings you to Iron Town?" Ashitaka began the conversation in a soft voice, while Jack served them all hot tea. The weather outside was still cold and foggy, with just as much darkness and depression floating in the air, so a good cup of steaming-hot tea would do them all good.

"As you might suspect, it's not exactly a friendly visit," she sighed. "You know my feelings about humans, and this place, and the despicable woman that rules over here. You know that I would never come here peaceably unless I had good reason to, and even then, I was very reluctant to come. Ashitaka, Jack, I have been fighting for the life of the forest all my life, but lately, I've been fighting harder than ever.

"My forest has seen great trouble. The demonic creatures that you have seen and battled yourselves have been sneaking around my own woods, stirring up trouble and destroying anything they please. They are an abomination on the woods; a blight on this land, and until recently, I've only been able to drive them away. I don't know why they came, or what their intention is, but I know I can't hold out for much longer."

"So you have come to help us?" asked Jack. San looked at him calmly and nodded her head.

"You could say that. Iron Town doesn't deserve my help… but then again, even humans don't deserve to suffer so much. It was not by the fault of any of your people that these demons are upon you. Iron Town's paid its dues in the past; there's no reason they need to suffer more."

"I agree," said Ashitaka. "But are you really here to help us?" San nodded her head again, slower this time, and sipped more of her tea. Jack, who had not heard about the Princess yet, rubbed his chin and gave the young woman a questioning gaze.

"I do not understand all of this," he said. "Why do you hate these humans so? What sort of offense could they have possibly caused to offend you so deeply?" San gave Jack a look of measured patience and reason, and drew in a deep breath before explaining. She knew that he was still a new face, and wasn't aware of the situation like Ashitaka was. It wouldn't do any of them good for her to be blowing up at them.

"It's all because of the humans that the forest is suffering," she said. "Long ago, they were at the pinnacle of their power, and posed so great a threat to us that it seemed all of life would die out. They came with their weapons and wiped out the trees, and they killed the gods and burned the land for their own gain. And… what's worse… they even had the despicable villainy to band together and… and… kill the Forest Spirit!"

"That is horrible!" exclaimed Jack as San grew more and more livid. The girl could not keep her emotions in check when speaking about the evils of man, nor could Jack as he listened to such injustice. He had wanted to advocate in the human's defense, but wickedness was wickedness and no arbitrator could pacify such wrongdoings. San shivered as she tried to calm down; Ashitaka placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently.

"San has every right to be angry with humans," he said. "But… she is also correct when she says that this place has received its punishment. The Great Forest Spirit destroyed Iron Town a few years back, and we lost many lives in senseless battles so long ago. We've since learned from our errors, even Lady Eboshi, and we've tried to live on despite the burdens on our shoulders. Since then, both the forest and this town have each been given a second chance at life, but now it seems that an outside force wishes to ruin it."

"That's why I came here," said San suddenly, and she looked directly into Ashitaka's face. "I still cannot forgive the humans for what they have done, but this recent terror is not their fault. They are suffering needlessly, and though I can still be seen as an enemy of the humans, I would sink lower than the demons if I allowed such pain to continue. Besides, my own forest has been in danger, so I have swallowed my pride so that I might search out allies. This…… really was the only place I could go to."

Ashitaka gave San a gentle smile, and she returned it meekly. Jack closed his eyes, and drew in a deep breath. Now there was villainy on two fronts, the town and the woods, and he would be expected to help defend both. The Princess Mononoke was right when she said that dissent and distrust had to be eliminated for the greater good--after all, an enemy of an enemy was indeed a true friend, and both Iron Town and the forest shared a common foe in the demons and their maniacal creator.

"I would like to help you in any way I can," he said quietly. Both San and Ashitaka smiled at him.

"Thank you, sir Jack. From the way you fought today, I don't think we're going to have very many problems."

The day continued to be a dark and foreboding one. The chill that had been so stagnant in the air was warming, but not in any significant terms. It was still a bitter wind that blew through the town, and despite the hustle of activity in the town, there was still a sense of stillness and uncertainty in the air. The entire place was on pins and needles, shivering in the chill and stepping blindly forward under a gray sky and invisible sun, tumbling towards some unknown goal with hands outstretched. 

Ashitaka, Jack, and San all stepped out of the hut some time later, and decided that it would be best to keep a sharp lookout for any more enemies. The frequency of attacks had intensified over the months, so it was quite possible to see more than one attack in the same day--or in this case, more than two. The demons had no reason or logic in their minds, no understanding, no sense of direction or loyalty at all. They were brutish beasts, unresponsive, knowing only carnage and barbarism, and would simply not stop until they had been killed. They were uncontrollable, and deadly, and there would be more.

But as San and the two warrior-princes wandered through the town, a demon of a different kind began to approach the chilly place. One of the watchmen sounded the alert, and in an instant, brothel girls, a few of the healthier lepers, and anyone not too burdened by their duties scrambled forth to welcome the visitor.

With the call of "Lady Eboshi arrives! Make way for Lady Eboshi!", the town was thrown into a joyous uproar, but San was bristling like the wolf she was. The girl just could not control herself whenever Eboshi was around; even Ashitaka had to restrain here that one time. Jack barely understood why the young woman detested the older one so, but he was a man who could forgive and forget, and thus did not like San clinging to such an old grudge.

"You said that she was going away," she hissed. Ashitaka nodded his head.

"Yes, San, but I didn't know for how long. It seems she has very strange timing." San snarled but said nothing. Jack, who was more level-headed, stepped forth and joined everybody else in the greeting. He did not expect San to go berserk right then and there, not with so many "allies" around. At the worst, he expected the blood to boil but not overflow. The volcano would not erupt just yet.

The crowd that had gathered around the front gate began to clamor and shout as Lady Eboshi returned to Iron Town. In the light of day, Jack could see more of her than he had seen on his first night. Eboshi was a very beautiful woman, tall and fair with dark hair braided up in a bun. She wore light makeup, which meant she was quite wealthy, and she had the most mysterious and piercing eyes around. She wore a very ornate robe, which suited her well in the murky weather, but one of her arms was missing. Jack had not heard enough about Eboshi to know why this was, so for the time being, he had to wonder.

"Milady! We've missed you!" exclaimed one of the brothel girls. Eboshi smiled warmly and welcomed them all.

"I thank you, all of you. The journey I have made was not a long one, though it did seem lengthened because of the absence of such loyal friends as yourselves." The girls beamed at her words and went into a tirade of questions: how are you feeling, what did you bring, what did you see, do you need anything, and so forth. Gonza, however, was responsible for pulling Eboshi away from the girls and getting down to business.

"Hmph, milady just got back, Gonza!" snapped Toki. "Give her some time to rest! I don't think she'll want to know what's been going on since she's left."

"Actually, I would," replied Eboshi calmly. Toki humbly silenced herself and allowed her benefactor to leave; Gonza merely gave the woman a grin before ushering Eboshi away.

"We were attacked again," he said as they walked. "Twice, actually: once by a great three-headed monster, and another by a few dozen little imps. That new man was a big help to us in the fight against the first monster, but as for the second--" Gonza suddenly stopped himself, and growled as he came into the clearing. There before him was San, who had been watching the entire spectacle in seething silence.

Eboshi stopped dead in her tracks, and the two women stared at each other as the whole town grew silent. The wind picked up and began to moan slightly, billowing the robes of Eboshi and the untamed hair of San. The taller, older woman bore into San's face like a drill, keeping her face completely void of any feeling or emotion. San, on the other hand, was not shy about keeping her devilish snarl. The lengthy silence conveyed between the two was so haunting that Gonza drew his weapon.

"What business do you have with milady?!" he roared. San growled worse than any animal known to nature, and spat out her business.

"I don't care what the demons do to _her_. They can rip her body apart for all I know. I'm only here to make sure those monsters don't attack my forest." And with that, the young woman stormed away, probably the first time she had ever been within close range of Eboshi and not threatened to kill her. Gonza yelled out to her, but was immediately silenced by the Lady.

"Let her be," she said. "As long as she's deluding herself like that, we might as well leave her in peace."

"But, my lady…"

"I don't like this arrangement any more than you do, Gonza," she said, gazing straight at him in her usual haunting way. "But if it means those monsters will be driven away, then I would make a bargain with the devil himself. Come, let us go inside and speak." Eboshi went ahead and entered her home, with Gonza following close behind. Jack, who had seen the entire spectacle, could only rub his chin in contemplation.

Things were definitely becoming more interesting.

"Lady Eboshi's arrival was received well, for the most part--but the Mononoke Princess still bore an ancient grudge against the woman. The only thing Ashitaka could do was comfort her and pacify the situation as best he could; the samurai, in the meantime, could only playact as a witness to the events that followed."

A sip of beer, and the one-eyed storyteller resumed his tale.

"The days that followed promised to be filled with tension and uncertainty. Having the young Princess and the noble Lady living together in such close quarters was a strain on everybody, and add to that the increasing invasion of demons, and you can see why Iron Town was in such a perilous condition. This continued for about a week, a period of seven days where no attack from the outside came, though it stank of war inside those walls.

"Now I must leave you," he concluded. "This is a suitable place to stop, and besides, I've been talking all day and night long. It'll be morning soon, and I think everybody will agree that it would be best to stop. Ponder over the circumstances of late, and consider what might happen the next time I step through this door. Until then, my loyal listeners, get some rest yourselves. I don't doubt that your families are missing you." And so, with a wave, the one-eyed man got up out of his seat, and waddled over to the door. He was stopped by the bartender.

"I don't think I need to say this," began the old man, "but it's already become apparent that you've won this contest. You show a remarkable skill in storytelling, and you deserve the reward. But can you answer me one question that's been on my mind ever since you spoke up?"

"Sure, if it's a short one," shrugged the storyteller. The tender smiled.

"It is. Pray, tell me friend, what name do you go by?" The storyteller smiled warmly and patted the tender's shoulder.

"I'm Bastion, Bastion Leaumex. I heard this tale from my grandmother, whose own grandmother was an eyewitness to the account."

"You are French, then?"

"Sort of. I don't really have any nationality, since I just wander from place to place. But I might stay here, if I start to liking the place. Well, does that satisfy ye?"

"Oh yes," said the tender, nodding his head several times, "it does, it does. Well, good say, Monsieur Leaumex."

"Right. _Au revoire_." The storyteller waved farewell to the bartender as he made his way back into Iron Town, and prepared himself for the day ahead of him.

But of course, come the next day, he would most certainly be back at his same seat, spinning tales of times long gone by…

**__**

To be continued…


	6. A Strange Absence

Mononoke Samurai

Part Six: A Strange Absence

As expected, the bartender opened his doors early, allowing customers to stream into his shop like a deluge. They flooded inside and began ordering drinks left and right, all in anticipation of the storyteller's next part of his gripping saga. For the first fifteen minutes or so, the tender was kept so busy with orders that he was unable to do anything else, except concentrate on the job at hand. But half an hour into the workday passed, and there was still no sign of the grizzly storyteller.

This hardly went noticed, as the stranger didn't usually keep a schedule, so the tender shrugged and went back to his business. Forty-five minutes into his day, there was still no sign of the one-eyed man, and by the time it came for the bar to normally open, the crowd was getting restless. They started to grumble and grunt amongst themselves, and began tossing out questions to the tender.

"Hey, old man!" they shouted. "Where's the guy that was tellin' those stories?!"

"What do I look like, his keeper?"

"You look like you could lose a few pounds!" mocked one of the drinkers. A laughter erupted out, and as usual, the tender paid them no mind. This was but one of their more harmless insults. He had heard worse, and more frequently.

"Seriously, though, where is he?" The tender shrugged again, and continued cleaning the mugs and serving up brew. Five minutes into the hour, even the old man began to grow concerned, and sighed wearily once the ten-minute mark passed.

"He comes in every day, usually around this time--or at least he did when he was telling those stories," he noted. "I can't help but wonder where he could be. The gates didn't open since last night, so he's still gotta be in town. There hasn't been a funeral procession today, so he ain't dead, and he's bound to be outta work by now."

"So go look for him!" grumbled one of the drinkers. The tender snarled at him quietly.

"What, you think that I can just leave my position here as I please? No, no, I'll have to send somebody out there, somebody I trust."

"Send me, old man!" shouted one of the more sober gents. "I'll go look!" The bartender rubbed his bristly mustache in contemplation, hummed out quietly, and scanned the room for anybody he could trust. This was obviously going to be a difficulty, since everybody in the room was either drunk or questionable--but the old man couldn't leave the bar to these hoodlums, either.

"…Why don't you send me?" asked a soft, quiet, thoughtful voice to the left of him. The tender glanced over at the speaker, and couldn't help but smile warmly.

"Ah, Lady Asaka. What brings you here to this rotten establishment? Surely you haven't come here to drink?" The one who had spoken, a woman named Asaka, smiled gently and shook her head. From the way the tender addressed her, she was obviously a person of some great importance.

"I'm here for the same reason as these other people, Hashigama. I have come to hear the tale of my ancestor, Prince Ashitaka. The beer is poor but the tales woven in this place make up for such distaste. Please, you can trust me."

"Most assuredly, Lady Asaka! I trust you know where, ah…"

"Bastion Leaumex, was it?" she asked. The tender affirmed her question, and received a thank-you from the respected woman. She smiled, stood, and quietly walked outside of the tavern in search of the missing storyteller. The tender let out a sigh as she left, and shook his head in wonder. Lady Asaka, though descended from Ashitaka, bore a faint resemblance to the one-time chief of Iron Town, Eboshi. But, that was impossible…

Lady Asaka walked through the bustling streets of Iron Town with the same gentle quietness that had defined so many of her predecessors. She was quite an elegant and regal lady, just recently on the verge of adulthood, and held her love and honor for Iron Town with the same elevation as its original chief once had. Some people even went as far to say that she bore a resemblance to Eboshi, and not to her ancestor Ashitaka. But, that was simply impossible: even the wildest of legends didn't claim that the prince had an affair with the older woman.

Looks or not, Asaka carried the same respect and admiration around with her as the woman she looked so much like. Being the chief of Iron Town meant that she _had_ to; there were still dangers out there, though not always in the form of a samurai or mythical demon. The advancement of science in the west, along with civilization, the arts, and new ways of learning were changing the world, and those in the Orient could either learn from their distant neighbors… or ignore them, and regret it later.

All in all, Iron Town had changed greatly since those long-lost days of Ashitaka, and Eboshi, and the Princess Mononoke, and every other thing mentioned by the storyteller. Technology had sprang out of the iron bellows and the guns; the forest was absolutely thriving and teeming with life; the town itself was fiercely independent and quite powerful in terms of economic, social, and military strength. It still did not boast the might and influence of the empire it lived under--but it was close, oh was it close…

As chief of Iron Town, Lady Asaka had made it a necessity of hers to memorize where everyone lived, just in case she would one day need to know. Both Eboshi and Ashitaka before her had done the same; why should she be any different? Asaka herself knew very little about the one-eyed storyteller named Bastion Leaumex, except for whispers and rumors and the fascinating story he had to tell, so even she was entering into unknown territory.

Fortunately, the many citizens of the town could easily recognize the description given to them by their chief. There were not many people wandering around that town that were large and grizzled, and had one eye. Asaka finally got a location from a farmer's daughter, and went to the house post haste, to check up on the famous storyteller.

Asaka knocked at least six times before letting herself in. She expected that unless Bastion was incapacitated, he would have came to the door after the fourth, at the most, so she had a right to be worried. Silently, Asaka crept through the small hut, peering everywhere in search of the grizzled man. A strange stench was in the room, something hideous, like the smell of disease and sickness. Asaka had to cringe and hold her nose as she made her way through the place.

When she came to the bedroom door, she heard a light moaning sound coming from behind it. She knocked on this door as well, and allowed herself inside once she was sure it would remain unanswered. There, lying in the bed, was the missing storyteller, but Asaka could instantly tell that something was wrong.

"My God…!" she whispered. "Are you all right?" She instantly went to the side of the one-eyed man, and took his hand into her own. It was cold, and weak, and the pulse was slow. Upon further examination of the man, Asaka could tell that, while he was still very much alive, he was hardly well.

"…Uhhnnn… who's there…?" groaned the man. Asaka's worried face denied her any comforting glances, so she gave him her most concerned look and stroked his large arm.

"Bastion Leaumex, I presume?" A pause.

"…Yeah, that's me. You the chief, or an apparition of Eboshi I'm seein'?"

"No, I'm the chief," she smiled. "Besides, I'm too young to be Lady Eboshi. According to that wonderful tale of yours, she was more than ten years older than I am now."

"That story's crap," snarled Bastion as he tried to roll over. "I'm just telling it to get free beer. Besides, I love the attention."

"So why aren't you there, drinking and swimming in the audience's adoration?"

"Because I'm _SICK_, you imbecile!!!" he roared. "_Look_ at me!! I'm barely healthy enough to…" Bastion suddenly erupted into a violent coughing fit, sending Asaka stepping backwards quickly in order to avoid the hacking. He then spat up some phlegm in a bucket he kept nearby, which by the look and smell of things, badly needed a replacement.

"…I'm barely healthy enough to walk," snorted Bastion once his coughing was over. "Must'a gotten some sickness while walking home, I dunno. The point is, I'm too hog-tired to move, and I'm so sick I could puke up the story. Do you want that stupid tale to come vomiting outta my throat?"

"No sir, I do not," answered Asaka sharply. "Very well, I'll leave you be, unless you need something."

"Yeah, can you get me some hot food? And I mean _hot!_ I'm gonna _scald_ this sickness to death!!" Asaka nodded her head and went outside the room to get the poor man some food. There was little in his own house that would even be considered edible, let alone something warm, so she had to go outside to buy a few things. She came back in with a bowl of hot vegetable soup, and a large roll fresh from the oven.

When she gave the soup and roll to Bastion, his mouth hung open in a big, broad grin, and a trickle of drool came down his throat. He slurped a bit of the soup down with his spoon, and screamed out loud as the bubbling-hot brew burned his throat.

"(Cough, cough!) Oh, yeah!!! Now _that's_ what I'm talkin' about! Heh, heh! Mmm, and this roll is so warm, it's burning my fingers! I'll be better in no time after I eat all this!!" Asaka smiled at the one-eyed man's simple needs, and asked if there was anything else he needed.

"Naw, not really. …Hey, how come you're bein' so nice to me, Miss Asaka? Is it cuz' of my story?"

"Partially," she admitted with a smile. Bastion rolled his eyes and dipped his roll in the soup to absorb the delicious liquid. "…But also, I am descended from a man who has gained a good reputation for his caring, and I resemble a woman also well-respected for her heart. If I do not demonstrate these same qualities, then I would bring shame to two wonderful names."

"Mrrt's mrrp," he mumbled. Bastion swallowed down his roll and soup, belched, and spoke again with a more clear voice. "I said, 'That's crap'. You know what, Lady Asaka? You think it's strange that you're the descendant of Ashitaka, but you look like Eboshi, right? You've always wondered why that is. Legends say that Ashitaka took onto him the bride of the Forest, if you know what I mean, and even the little kids know that that weird Princess and Eboshi were bitter enemies. So you gotta wonder, how come you look like a person you're not supposed to look like!!"

"I have oftentimes wondered that, it's true," she replied. "But I think it's all coincidence. Heredity is a strange thing; perhaps I inherited these looks from another woman, or… maybe, another _man_. Remember, storyteller, there are many generations that separate Ashitaka from me, and these looks I have could have come from any of them, or a line that none of us know of. Coincidence, I say." Bastion gave her a lopsided smile, coughed, spat, and grumbled something out.

"Coincidence, eh? Heh, hehe… sure, right, you just go on and believe that!" Asaka gave Bastion a confused look, and prodded him to elaborate.

"I… don't think I understand." He smiled at her, emptily, and slurped down more of his soup, which had cooled down a bit while they were talking.

"Mmm, good stuff. My thanks, Lady Asaka. I may even owe you a debt after this. But anyway, let me rest for today. I don't feel up to going back to that rotten bar and telling any rotten stories. Oh, and you can quote me on that."

"But what about the--"

"Just leave me alone," sighed Bastion, waving her away lazily. Asaka sighed, and reluctantly agreed to leave the hut. She carried back to the bar a few burdens on her shoulders, and not all of them were connected with the storyteller's sudden fate…

__

You think it's strange that you're the descendant of Ashitaka, but you look like Eboshi, right? You've always wondered why that is.

I have oftentimes wondered that, it's true. But I think it's all coincidence.

Coincidence, eh? Heh, hehe… sure, right, you just go on and believe that.

"What was that man talking about?" said Asaka to herself as she walked back to the bar. "Such a strange encounter… Initially, I didn't even believe that the topic would even go to my lineage, or my appearance. …I suppose I could just ignore it. Perhaps it was delirium brought on by the sickness. Yes, that could be so…"

Asaka convinced herself it had been the sickness talking and not the sanity of a man, and went back to the bar moderately satisfied. Of course, the customers gathered there bore no satisfaction at all after hearing the news, and in fact, quite a large number of them left right then and there. Asaka made no guarantees as to when the one-eyed man would return, but she assured everyone that it would be "sometime soon".

"Illnesses…" muttered old Hashigama as he cleaned another mug. "Just goes to show that we're all human. Heh, Ashitaka had his demon's scar, Eboshi had her arm bitten off, and the Princess Mononoke…… well, she was human too, only too human."

"Sorry about the business," sighed Asaka as she leaned on the counter. Hashigama smiled at her warmly and chuckled.

"No… that's all right… These things can't be prevented, especially these days. Did you know that there was rumor of a great plague somewhere far to the west? Sure! Lots of people moved to the countryside!"

"I also heard rumors of a man who can paint portraits on the ceiling of a church, and these portraits explode into life before your very eyes," noted Asaka. "I have even heard that there was a man who tempted the very skies, and even one who dared challenge the very actions of nature herself."

"It's the times we live in," sighed Hashigama. "Of course, the most astounding rumor of them all is that there's a land even further to the east on this world than our own. That's right. I heard from the caravans and merchants that a Portuguese man serving the Spanish monarchy discovered some islands, naming them the West Indies. Ridiculous, or is the idea of the very King of England supporting a visit to this new world even more baffling?"

"A strange time indeed," sighed Asaka, shaking her head and offering the bartender an airy smile. The old man filled a mug full of frothy beer, and passed it to the respected lady.

"On the house," he said. She thanked him, and lifted the mug up for a toast.

"To the times we live in."

**__**

To be continued…


	7. Return of Raynard

Two whole days passed before Bastion was well enough to continue his tale, and during this time, most of the patrons who had previously came to the old bar drifted away. Most of them forgot about everything and went to their daily lives, while others kept hoping while keeping their day jobs secure. Old Hashigama, the bartender, regarded the lack of customers with a weary sigh, and hoped and prayed that when Bastion returned, the remaining story was a long one. He hadn't seen that many customers in his bar ever since he first started the tradition of storytelling, and he didn't think he ever would once Bastion concluded his tale.

The grizzly, one-eyed storyteller named Bastion Leaumex came into Hashigama's bar with a flair. He was welcomed back like he was some sort of war hero, with people applauding and shouting and offering to buy him drinks… It was a hysterical scene when he returned to the bar, but only one person really earned his smile.

"Hey, Asaka," he said, giving her a faint grin. Lady Asaka smiled back, and made a toast to the skilled storyteller that moment.

"Are you feeling better, Bastion?"

"Oh yeah, much better, thanks to all that stuff you gave me!" he grumbled, patting his big belly. Asaka smiled and toasted again to his health, and she was the first to ask him to continue the story.

"Oh yeah!" exclaimed one of the more drunk patrons. "Ain't you gonna continue? Jeez, where'd you leave off, anyway? Wasn't, uh, that wolf Princess just coming to Iron Town?"

"I believe so," replied Asaka. "Bastion? Do you remember?"

"Remember?" he snorted. "With you losers bugging me every hour of the day, I don't think I could forget!! Sure, yeah, uh, San was coming into Iron Town to offer her help, but Lady Eboshi and her still weren't seeing eye to eye. Yeah… It was gettin' to be real tense in that old town, what with San and Eboshi living just a few doors away from each other. Add in the fact that there was a necromancer on the loose, and there were these demons attacking Iron Town every so often, and you've got a recipe for disaster!

"…However…" Bastion paused, smiled, and let that one word tantalize and tickle at the audience's senses. He loved suspense. "…However… I have saved the best part for now, my friends. Up until now, you've only been witness to skirmishes, mere brawls in the street. But now, things are going to get _much_ more interesting!!"

"Here, here!" shouted another patron. "It's about time, too! This is to make up for your three-day absence!!" Bastion said nothing in response, and cleared his throat to continue his story. Truth be told, those people there hadn't seen anything yet.

Mononoke Samurai

Part Seven: Return of Raynard

The scene was a violent one, but one that bore no threat to anybody. During a brief time out of their usual work, Jack and Ashitaka had decided to do a little sparring to pass the time and test each other's skills. They had not been dueling for very long when Eboshi came out to see what the commotion was; they were barely out of breath when she appeared. Smiling softly, the Lady of Iron Town strolled down to the square where the two swordsmen were practicing their skills, and greeted them in her usual soft tone.

"Good afternoon, Lady Eboshi," said Jack as he gave her a polite bow. Eboshi bowed back, and gave Ashitaka a mere smile before speaking.

"Please, gentlemen, do not cease your exercise due to my presence. Continue. Let me see how skilled the two of you are." Jack and Ashitaka agreed, and faced each other yet again to test the others' skill. Thus far, they were at a stalemate, though the duel could really go either way. Jack struck first, a test blow, a mere flick of his wrist and a movement of his blade, just to see how Ashitaka would react. The younger man blocked the blow like it was nothing, and quickly made a slice at Jack's face.

The samurai quickly swung his blade around so the other weapon would not strike him, and took in a deep breath as he realized there would be no "testing" in this fight. Ashitaka truly was capable of fighting; Jack needed to be serious with this one. So, he leaped backwards, twirled his blade around in a fancy and flashy display, and ran towards his dueling partner with renewed fervor.

Jack twirled around like a top and slashed in from the side, then wove his sword around completely and struck at Ashitaka's neck. Both strikes were blocked; a third slash was aimed at the face, a fourth at the stomach--defend, defend, defend… Ashitaka's offensive was impressive, being not too fast nor too uncontrolled. His movements were quite smooth, actually, though bearing more power than speed. Jack fought well, slashing and defending when he could, and soon the eyes of both young men became glassy and transfixed, like the two were in a daze.

Their concentration was at an acme. Both Jack and Ashitaka were so set on their own personal duel that they had shut out everything else around them: the houses, the ground beneath them, Eboshi, the sky, the smells, everything. It was as if the whole world around them was dark, and only the other duelist existed for them. It was in this concentrated stage that they were most powerful, yet most open to an outside attack.

Both their blades came crashing together suddenly, creating sparks that flew out like shooting stars. The blow was so severe that Jack's katana and Ashitaka's sword were thrown out of their grasp, each one flying in a separate direction. Both warriors nursed their stinging hands in surprise, then gave each other a smile.

"An excellent match," said Jack as he bowed. Ashitaka bowed as well, and commended Jack for his skills as well.

"Yes. We seem to be evenly matched. I might have an edge in strength, but you're much faster than I am. I would say that if we put our skills to a single objective, there would be no defense against it."

"Agreed," said Eboshi, and Jack and Ashitaka turned around to glance at her, as if that had been the first time that day they had seen her. They both smiled sheepishly as they realized that she (among many others) had seen their match, and thanked those who applauded them. Like true sportsmen, both warriors gave each other their respective blades, and bowed once again.

It was then that San came by, carrying a basket full of food she had either caught or made herself. She generously allowed Jack and Ashitaka to have as much as they wanted, but while she was placing the basket down on the floor, she froze as her eyes met with Eboshi's. A deadly silence rose up in the air as the two mortal enemies stared each other down, Eboshi the cool and San the fiery. Had it not been for the sounds of eating below, San might have completely forgotten her place. Slowly, though, her hand reached down into the basket and grabbed a loaf of bread, and it was bitten and chewed _very_ slowly.

Jack, who looked up briefly to thank San, saw her glaring at the other woman, and decided it was best to not get involved. He didn't want a fight to start… but the affair between San and Eboshi really was not his own. Besides, it was not a crime to stare at somebody.

Fortunately--perhaps--the scene was fiercely interrupted by the watchman striking the alarm, and as the clanging sound of a hammer smashing against iron rang out across the town, people scattered into their homes in terror. The gunners, archers, and catapult operators were called out to their positions, and Jack and Ashitaka gazed at each other. Without exchanging a word, they agreed that the time had come to defend Iron Town yet again, and the warriors grabbed their blades as they ran to greet this new threat. San glared at Eboshi for a second longer before leaving the older woman.

"Well," muttered the older woman, "talk about good timing. I wonder what sort of demon we'll have to face today…"

Amidst the screams of the townspeople and the chaotic confusion of those preparing to fight back the oncoming monster, Jack and Ashitaka raced outside the gate to confront whatever was approaching. Both young men suddenly came to a frozen halt and stared in amazement at what lumbered before them. Easily the size of the Night Walker, this creature's immense size and brainless activity meant that a much fiercer battle was in store for them all.

However, the creature did not move forward to crush everything within its path. Instead, it stretched out its hand, like it was going to squeeze the sun, and lowered something to the ground. A _person_ was riding on the gigantic beast's palm, and though Jack thought the man standing there looked no more harmless than any other man, Ashitaka's face paled considerably.

"It's you again!!" he spat. The man standing there smiled wickedly, his fiery-orange eyes burning into the men before him.

"Yes, yes, I have indeed returned. Did you miss me, now, did you miss me? I wonder, I wonder so, if you did indeed miss me, yes…" The man crossed his arms and nodded his head several times, bringing a confused look to Jack's face and an enraged one to Ashitaka's.

"Why are you doing this?!" demanded the young prince. "Why are your demons destroying this town? And what do you want Eboshi for?!"

"Oh, my!" whispered the man. "Have my creations been wreaking havoc on this town? Dear me, I do apologize for that, yes, I most sincerely do. I hope nobody was hurt. But you see, I cannot control those creatures that go maverick on me; no, no, I cannot, no. They are out of my hands, completely out, completely and totally."

"Be silent!!" growled Ashitaka. "Go away from this place and never return! …Or would you like me to send you back to where you belong by _force?_"

"Dear me, young men these days have grown quite violent--yes, yes, yes…" The strange man before them muttered a few more things, adjusted his thick glasses several times, and gave them both a smile. "Dear me, gentlemen, all I seek is what is rightfully mine! Yes, I may use force to get it, but it seems as if you use force as well, to get what _you_ want. Am I right? Am I right?? Of course I am."

"Enough of this!" exclaimed Jack, pulling his sword out for all the world to see. "I know not who you are, or where you came from, or why you are here, but if these demons are your creations…" Suddenly, Jack realized something as he spoke to the man. _Demons are his creations…? A man who created those monsters… A necromancer!_

"I know who you are!!" shouted Jack. "You are that wicked man, Raynard Gelasso!"

"I am indeed," smiled the man, and Jack swallowed fiercely as he beheld the very reason he had been sent to Iron Town in the first place. Raynard Gelasso was a bizarrely-dressed man who looked to be Eboshi's age. He had wild orange hair and eyes that matched the flames on his head. A pair of very thick glasses were over his eyes, and a faintly cruel smile was permanently attached to his face. He wore the robes of both a master scholar and a master alchemist, gloves, boots, and a strange amulet around his neck.

"Surprised?" hissed Raynard, and from the look of Jack's face, he was. "Well, it seems you've learned of my identity from somebody, yes indeed. Tell me, since I have never seen you before, are you a citizen of that town, or are you a foreigner?"

"That is not your concern!" shouted Jack as he aimed his blade at Raynard. "You must atone for your crimes! Creating demons and monsters is vile enough, but sending them to destroy towns and cause pain to others…"

"I told you, I didn't tell them to do that!!" spat Raynard angrily. "I am not a perfect mage, just a very powerful one! Even _my_ creations will go ballistic every once and awhile!! Besides," he muttered, "those were mostly my early creations. I wasn't quite fully aware of my own capabilities back then, and… things got out of hand. Yes, yes, that's how it went, yes…"

"Nevertheless," growled Jack, "you shall pay for your crimes. The evils you have committed are high, and so the price you pay shall be equally severe!" Both Jack and Ashitaka stood their ground, waiting for just the right moment to strike. Raynard, however, grinned wildly at them, and held his palms out like a wizard would. An invisible barrier suddenly thrust the two warriors backwards, and it continued to thrust them away until they had splashed inside the lake surrounding Iron Town.

"What fools," chuckled Raynard as he adjusted his glasses. "What utter, utter fools. To challenge even the lowest-level mage head-on is indeed a sour plan of attack--yes, yes, indeed a bad plan, that was. Now, for the others…" Ambling on his way, Raynard walked towards the heavy wooden gate of Iron Town, briefly examined it, and yawned.

"Though I could very well destroy this myself, indeed I could, I just may utilize the attack of my big friend over there. Here, you, come here." The large demon that had brought Raynard in slowly lumbered forward, and with a single massive kick, it shattered the gate that was protecting Iron Town. The people standing outside screamed as debris and splinters rained down on them, and amidst all the chaos, Raynard was smiling joyfully.

"Heeeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!" he sang. A salvo of arrows, bullets, and stones were launched his way, but with a single massive wave of his arm, Raynard deflected every blast and blow. The shells, arrows, and rocks fell harmlessly to the floor, leaving the citizens quivering in amazement and horror, and Raynard near the point of giggling with insanity.

"Want to try that again?" he chuckled, covering his face for no apparent reason. The gunners and archers did, again and again, but each shot was deflected away as easily as the last. Raynard's necromancy skills apparently ran very deep and strong, to be able to continue swatting away the assaults like that.

"I can keep this up as long as you all can, perhaps more, though I doubt it," he leered. The gunners tried one last time and were still unable to strike him; however, at that very moment, San appeared to finish the job, with both her wolf brothers flanking her.

For reasons yet unknown, Raynard suddenly flew into a violent panic, and screamed so loud that even his large demonic creation had to cover its ears. His face was aghast with fear and massive perspiration, and the hands that bore so much power in them began shaking uncontrollably. Raynard's screaming intensified as the wolves closed in on him, and the powerful and feared necromancer took several cowardly steps backwards, in a vain attempt to escape the wolves.

"No," he muttered, "no…! It's not true! AAAAHHHHH, it's not true!!!" Raynard squeezed his eyes shut and began blindly firing fireballs and bolts of lightning at San and her wolves, but since fear had clouded his vision, his aim was terrible. San and her brethren easily avoided Raynard's attacks, leaving the man vulnerable and frightened out of his mind.

Raynard let out a vicious scream as the wolves closed in on him, and when San launched herself at the man, all the inner Hell of Raynard broke loose. He did manage to wrestle San's weapon away, but a true wolf has no need of weaponry, and so San's attack merely changed to suit her weaponless state. She screamed, clawed, kicked, bit, and struck the man so many times that he completely lost his balance, and fell straight into the lake, where Jack and Ashitaka were waiting to capture him.

Raynard, who could not swim, sunk to the bottom like a stone. He kept his eyes wide open, and his breath in his cheeks, and moaned out in pain and terror from what had just happened. Slowly, his senses came back to him, and so did the large monster that he had brought with him. The creature scooped its master out of the lake, dripping and coughing and still a little horrified over what he had seen. For awhile, Raynard leaned against the monster's thumb, catching his breath and trying to calm down the vicious drumming of his heart.

San, her wolves, Jack, and Ashitaka all gathered beneath the demon, glaring up at the hand that held their foe. Nobody knew why Raynard had suddenly freaked out like that, but it was an advantage they would carry on with them into the next encounter, if indeed there was any. Raynard, on the other hand (no pun intended) had calmed down by this time, and spent a few seconds staring down at the group gathered beneath. As his horrified orange eyes beheld the two wolves, and the girl who rode on their backside, a nightmare from his youth played back to him with terrible realism…

__

A calm walk in the forest, with those you love…

A pause. A kiss. Nobody will see us.

But The Terror does.

The bushes rustle, the growl is heard, fear and panic clutch your heart.

A scream. A terrible monster, as large as a behemoth and just as deadly, snaps at you.

The most ferocious growl comes from its immense mouth, its teeth ready to devour you.

A mighty scream--no, two--perhaps even three…

Run, flee, hide, escape--but the image of the monster will forever burn in your mind.

"By God…" Raynard composed himself, wiping his gloved hand down his face, and he cleaned his glasses and rubbed his eyes before glancing back at the wolves. He took a deep breath, and ordered his creation to lower him down again. A scientist by nature, he had to examine this theory of his, no matter what horrors it led him to.

As Raynard was being placed back down to the surface, into the lion's den (so to speak), he adjusted his glasses yet again and gave the woman who had been riding on the wolves a very intense investigation. She was a pretty thing, young and fearless, with a burning fire in her eyes and the marks of a warrior on her cheeks and forehead. A band was strapped around her head, and she had sparkling ivory earrings, a necklace of a slain animal's teeth, and clothing crudely sewn together, or else stolen from humans.

When Raynard gazed into her eyes, he… _saw_ something there, something he thought he would never see again… And so, with his curiosity piqued, he just had to make sure his theory was correct.

"…Oh my," he smiled. "Now isn't this a strange sight, yes, yes… Tell me, young lady, what is your name?"

"Why do you care?!" she snarled. "You won't need to know in a few seconds anyway!"

"So that's how long I have to live, is it?" he chuckled. "Well, all right. Then grant me this last request: those wolves, are they your brethren?" A dark pause.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Science, my dear, simple science! All I seek are answers--yes, yes, answers to questions that may never need to be asked, heh." San's glare was smoldering, but Raynard was just the type of person who was used to intense heat. He was, after all, a necromancer, and could command the forbidden magics easily.

"…Yes, they're my brothers," murmured San darkly. Raynard grinned.

"Splendid! So, that must mean that your mother was a wolf too, am I correct?" Another dark pause.

"…Yes."

"_Perfect_." Raynard grinned in ecstasy, rolled his eyes a bit, and began muttering things so strange and complex that only he himself could decipher them. Jack and Ashitaka looked on in amazement, both of them very much befuddled. Suddenly, Raynard gasped out loud, a look of unbridled happiness and clarity on his broad, grinning mouth. He let out an "Aaahhh!!", grinned maliciously, and focused all his attention on San.

And then, his smile grew from an insane cackle into a warm, almost patronly one.

"I see," he said, "so that's it, eh? Well, I'm just happy that I could come to such a deduction so easily. You may stand down now, Princess Mononoke--and I know that's your name. You may stand down, now. I won't hurt you at all."

"WHAT?!" San growled viciously, and rushed towards Raynard with every intention to kill him. Her spear was raised and aimed straight at his chest, but with a single effortless motion, Raynard stopped her dead in her tracks, and lifted her up off the ground using his magic. But even so, he claimed no injury on her, not even a small one. Instead, he walked over to where she was hovering, and gently placed his hand on her cheek.

"Oh, dear girl, you have no reason to attack me. Like I said, I would never hurt you--never, not even once, and I shall extend the same formality to these two gentlemen here, since I assume they are your friends, and even to these wolves you have." However, as his kind words drifted into the air and his hand gently stroked her face, San (in her usual fashion) opened her mouth and clamped her powerful teeth over the man's fingers as they passed by her mouth.

With a sharp screech, Raynard clenched his teeth in pain, and yanked his poor hand away from San before she could bite again. Yet even _then_, he did not strike her, though his voice did become understandably angrier.

"What are you doing??! I _told_ you that I would cause you no harm! Don't you believe me?!"

"Just shut up!!" screamed San. The young woman struggled against Raynard's hold, but she was unable to budge very much. His magical hold on her was extremely powerful, though as harmless as a gentle breeze. Jack and Ashitaka, however, would not take things just standing there, and rushed to free San and/or kill her captor. Raynard sighed and trapped them both in the same containment field he had San in, and regarded them all with a sad smile.

"You have very peculiar friends, my girl," he said darkly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that they intended to _kill_ me!!"

"Well, considering who it is they're trying to kill…" Raynard's attention was immediately diverted from his three prisoners to the wooden gate that had been smashed in earlier, and the woman who was coming out of it. She gave him a sweet, warm smile, and bowed her head deeply before speaking.

"Hello, Raynard. It's good to see you again. It's been a long, long time, hasn't it?" Raynard, for all his madness and unpredictability, could only gape as the Lady of Iron Town smiled at him. He almost lost control of his magic spell, so great was her presence.

"…Eboshi…" He returned her gentle smile, and forgot about his prisoners as he walked up to greet her. "Oh my… Yes, Eboshi, yes, it has indeed been many years since we last met. I have missed you very much, my dear lady…"

"And I you," she countered. Raynard's smile turned into a cute pout, which caused Eboshi to let out a gentle laugh. "What is it you want, Ray?"

"…Eboshi, we haven't seen each other in years! Can I get a hug?" Eboshi's laughter spilled out of her mouth, and the woman took Raynard into her embrace, holding his body with her single, loving, powerful arm. Raynard's nose nuzzled against her cheek, and he whispered out his relief upon reuniting with the woman he loved.

**__**

To be continued…


	8. For the Love of Madness

__

Mononoke Samurai

Part Eight: For the Love of Madness

Seeing Eboshi embracing Raynard was a shock. The mad necromancer had thus far gained a reputation for being quite insane, scatterbrained, slightly villainous, apathetic, and very much bent on some unknown pursuit. His creations had helped destroy Iron Town over and over again, and the man himself was demented and unpredictable. Yet there was a softer, more humane side of him shown that hour, as he held the Lady Eboshi close and called her his beloved.

In San's mind, however, birds of a feather flew together. Both Eboshi and Raynard were despicable creatures--it was hard trying to decide which among them was the more detestable--and to see them cavorting on such friendly and passionate terms was both repulsive and expected. Of course, nobody knew that Eboshi had a history with the necromancer, not even her closest friends.

"My dear lady," smiled Raynard happily as he looked into Eboshi's face, "I have been too long away from you. Why, the sheer radiance of your face makes all the dark days I passed without you seem good again."

"It's been almost seventeen years since you left, Raynard," she said emptily. "_Seventeen years_… A girl can become lonely in that time."

"I apologize for such an unfair absence, sweetness," sighed Raynard as he caressed her face. "I have been on an odyssey these past few years, but as Ulysses did eventually reach his Penelope after two decades at war and sea, so I do come back to you, my _own_ Penelope, in hopes that we can start our relationship over once again, from where it was last left off."

"Raynard…" Eboshi sighed, and leaned her head on his shoulder. She held him close, and the two began to slowly rock like a ship at sea. "I have been waiting seventeen years. _Seventeen years…!_ Do you not think that I would grow… lonely in that time?"

"Darling woman, I told you that I would be gone a long time," he replied. "And I was, wasn't I? But I also said that I would return to you one day, and here I am, in the flesh." She looked up and smiled into his face, into his madman's face, and sighed as she placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Dear man, I have missed you," she whispered. The two held each other again, and Raynard made a small discovery as her single arm enveloped him.

"Darling, whatever happened to your arm? It's been completely taken off!"

"Oh, that…… It's nothing. No consequence. Just… a grave error I made. Won't happen again, love, I promise." A pause.

"I see. Well, you are still alive, and looking a thousand times more beautiful than I ever remember. Dear Eboshi, I have been on fire for your touch, your kiss, you mere presence, ever since the very day we met, so long ago. We were so young then, were we not?"

"Young and naïve," she replied wistfully, "and foolish and in love. The happiest days of my life, darling."

"Until now," he added coyly. Eboshi chuckled, and placed her first kiss on his mouth in years.

"Right, until now. But darling, why now? Why of all times have you come to see me now? And darling, please tell me, why you have decided to destroy my beautiful town!"

"All in good time, noble chuck," he said, cupping her chin in his gloved hands. At that moment, half the population of Iron Town came swarming out, every single one of them armed with weapons and every single weapon aimed at Raynard.

"Milady! Get away from that monster!" shouted Toki.

"Get your stinking paws off of her, you filthy creature!" growled Gonza. Raynard smiled maliciously at the people gathered around him, adjusted his glasses, and released Eboshi slowly.

"Dear me," he chuckled, "it seems I've become rather popular--yes, yes, very popular indeed. Well, well, all these people here with all their toys; I must remember to do something about that."

"Raynard…" Eboshi's calm voice and her passionate eyes stopped him from doing them any harm, and the mad wizard became docile once more.

"…All right, I see," he said in a low voice. "I won't lay a finger on them. But Eboshi, it seems as if I'm unwelcome in these parts. I hope you know that I would never hurt you, darling, and those demons you fought were but mere accidents, a few lab mishaps that went berserk and stormed out of my sight. My dear woman, you can't expect me to control _every_ sheep in the pasture now, can you?" She nodded her head.

"A mistake is a mistake, and for that I can forgive you. But tell me, Raynard, what are you doing here? You haven't answered all of my questions. Oh, and while you're at it, could you free those three over there?" Raynard turned his head to see who she was indicating, and laughed out loud as he saw Jack, Ashitaka, and San levitating in the air, still trapped by his magic.

"Oh, how _embarrassing!_" he exclaimed. "I had forgotten all about those three, hehehe! Well now, if Eboshi says so…" With a wave of his hand, the trio were released from their magical cages, floating gently down to the ground. All three of them glared at Raynard, and even Eboshi (the brunt of the rage came from San, naturally), and demanded a few explanations from them.

"Sorry," smiled Raynard as he adjusted his glasses. "I can sometimes become forgetful, yes, yes, forgetful of who I have in those tight spells of mine, yes… So sorry, sorry I am, very sorry… But no harm done I see, no? No? Ah, good, no harm done--yes, no harm done." Jack ignored the madman's ramblings, and took a threatening step forward. The look on his face told everybody that he wanted a few things clarified, and immediately.

"I think you owe us an explanation, Lady Eboshi. Why are you in league with this madman? Know you not that he is a vile necromancer, they that summon the dead and give life to the legions of darkness."

"Raynard has always been a bit of a loony," admitted Eboshi quietly. "But to be honest, he and I first met… well, I'd say about eighteen years ago, when I would have been about fifteen. Raynard was on a journey with some merchants from Italy, who were coming to these lands to trade. He and I met as he passed by my old village, and… well, he sort of… well, strayed from the caravan, let's say. Oh, we were so young and mischievous back then!

"Raynard and I really were nothing more than children back then. We fell deeply in love with each other, perhaps too deeply, and our time spent together was nothing less than wonderful. He remained behind even after his caravan left, stating that it was only through myself that he stood behind. The poor fool had truly fallen for me, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel the same way. We, ah…

Lady Eboshi blushed, the first time many people had seen her do so.

"…We consummated our relationship many times, if you know what I mean."

"Lady Eboshi, _no!_" moaned Gonza. Some of the brothel girls cheered for their benefactor as she admitted to her lewd past, others stood agape, and some, like San and Gonza, were just plain disgusted at the thought.

"That's revolting!" barked the princess of the woods. "But then again, it would make sense for evil to attract evil!"

"Hush now," murmured Raynard. "Dear princess, it is rude to interrupt. …Continue, my precious."

"Thank you," she smiled. "Well, it is sad to say, but Raynard could not stay forever. He had business back in Rome, where he was studying the arts of science, and in England where he would study under the druids for his alchemy and necromancy lessons. Our departure was a painful one, for I had truly grown to love this man, and he could barely stand the thought of being anywhere without me. It really is true that the consummation between man and woman makes them one flesh, and when we parted, it was as if this flesh was being ripped apart.

"But it was necessary," she sighed. "In any case, I suppose Raynard went to his studies, and I lived my life as best I could without him. Did you know that it was Raynard who first introduced me to the idea of using guns?"

"You… what?" stuttered Gonza.

"That's correct," said Raynard boastfully. "I had visited a monk once during my journeys, a man named Berthold Scwartz. He had this most intriguing tool with him, the first true prototype of a gun. Of course it was very crude and primitive, but I knew that what he had so far was extraordinary. I wanted to make my own… or at least have it introduced to other parts of the world."

"You _monster!!!_" San suddenly tore off after him, screaming out to the skies above for vengeance. The fiery blood of a thousand innocent animals slaughtered because of Eboshi's guns was burning in her eyes, and the ferocity of her wolf ancestry was in her charge. But Raynard lazily raised his hand and thrust an invisible wall at San, and she once again stopped dead in her tracks, unharmed but very much paralyzed.

"Like I said, I would never cause you harm, young lady," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice, "but I really wish that you would stop trying to kill me. I was not responsible for killing any of the creatures slain by those guns, Eboshi was. But, then again, I cannot put all the blame on my beloved. You are right, Mononoke; those animals would not be dead were it not for me."

"…Go to Hell!" she snarled as she struggled to break free. Raynard merely chuckled.

"I may. The God above seems not to approve of witchcraft, or so the Pope has said. Lady Eboshi, I do believe that his eminence would not approve of what we, ahh… Well, in your words, what we 'consummated to' in our youth, either."

"Well, the Pope can take care of his own matters," she replied slyly. Raynard's chuckle turned into a laugh.

"Ha! You're so naughty, Eboshi!"

"I know." Raynard turned to face her, perhaps turning his back on Jack and Ashitaka a bit foolishly, and adjusted his glasses as it was his habit.

"Well, dear, have I explained everything to you, and to them? Yes? No?"

"I believe so. But why are you here now?"

"Ah, you'd make a great scientist, my dear," he smiled. "Always asking questions… Well, I do have a bit of answers--yes, yes, it seems I can answer your questions, darling woman. Now, eh, let me be frank, here--no, let me be Raynard. Hahahahaha! Get it?!"

"I get it, Ray," groaned Eboshi as she rolled her eyes. "Now get to the point."

"Right, right, the point… Anyway, plum cake, to put it simply, I have come for _you!_"

"For me?"

"Yes. For you." He smiled at her, perhaps a bit perversely, and extended his arms out as if to wrap her into his embrace once again. However, the people of Iron Town were not so overjoyed by the news. In fact, they were very much enraged.

"You'll do no such thing!" roared Gonza. "Milady Eboshi would never be taken by the likes of you!"

"Yeah, you'll have to go through us to get her, you freak!" shouted Kohroku. The brothel girls chimed in with an affirmative, and even Ashitaka and Jack had their swords drawn and aimed.

"I don't think you should do that," hissed the younger man. "Lady Eboshi may not be perfect, but she keeps this town together. The people will revolt against you if you make an attempt on her life." Raynard turned to face the boy, smiled, and shrugged.

"My dear young man, I have not made it this far in life on my good looks alone!" (San shuddered at those words) "I have a different means to gain your Lady, though I do not think I will need them--no, no, they are altogether unnecessary, but still very much here, yes, in presence. Would you like to hear my ultimatum?"

"Raynard…"

"Worry not, peach," he said as he threw a smile in her direction. "I know that everybody will cooperate--yes, yes, they will. Not a one among you is stupid, not even that bald ape over there!"

"You dirty rat!!!"

"Be quiet, Gonza, at least for a little while," muttered Eboshi. "Now, what is this that you had in mind to get me to go with you, not that you need it." Raynard smiled that same insane smile of his, and pointed his thumb to the immense demon that he had arrived on.

"Do you see that chap over there? Well, if you do not comply and refuse to give me Eboshi, then I am afraid that I shall have to ignore my civility and let it do as it pleases on your town."

"WHAT?!?!"

"I know you will comply," chuckled Raynard darkly as he adjusted his glasses. "I personally don't want to destroy your town, not really, especially considering who lives there--my dear Lady!"

She smiled at him.

"Animal!" snarled Ashitaka. He took a threatening step forward, but Raynard's wagging finger stopped him.

"Ah-ah-aahh, I wouldn't do that if I were you! This beast here can get very temperamental if it feels like it's being threatened! Go ahead, young one! Test me if you dare!" Ashitaka growled heavily at the madman, but he didn't approach him any further. He was not so foolish as to call Raynard's bluff.

"We will not allow you to take her ladyship!!" roared Gonza as he ran towards Raynard. The orange-haired madman simply giggled as Gonza ran towards him, and with a wave of his hand, a mighty ball of fire struck the ground, narrowly missing Gonza's feet. The bald self-proclaimed guardian of Eboshi froze in horror as the blaze barely missed him, and did not move much after that.

"Big dope," grumbled Raynard. "Well now, with no more interruptions, shall we be going now, my dear?" Wordlessly, Eboshi sighed, and rejoined Raynard.

"My dear man, you have grown quite insane since we last parted."

"Flatterer!" he blushed. Eboshi smiled at the man's dry humor.

"I will come with you," she said softly, "but not because of my never-ending love for you. I do this because I take your threat seriously. For the good of the people of Iron Town, I will come with you, and leave their embrace for yours."

"But my lady!" protested Toki. "You can't be serious! We can fight him!"

"I don't think so," she said with a matronly smile. "No, let me go. You all have grown strong over the years, stronger than me. You can live on your own now, without my aid. You don't need me."

"Yes we do!" argued Kohroku. "Lady Eboshi, we need you now more than ever!"

"You don't need me," she said humbly. "But Raynard does. He is sick, my friends, sick in the mind and sick in the spirit. He needs my aid to heal."

"You _do_ love me!!" he squealed. Eboshi's face turned crimson and she smiled warmly.

"But of course. (And you know the _real_ reason I want to go with you, right?)"

"Of course," he smiled as he fixed his glasses for the millionth time that day. "My dear, dirty Lady! We all know the real reason you're going with me is so you can get laid!"

"Raynard!!" Eboshi's face was as bright as her lipstick, and not even her shame could cover up the giggle in her voice, nor could it cover Raynard's. But aside from their childishness and their lewd activity, the disbelief and the grief of the people of Iron Town was more overwhelming. Nobody could believe that Eboshi was willing to go along with this madman, especially if one considered his current reputation.

"My Lady… this is… I… I can't believe…"

"Get over it, Gonza," she said curtly as she walked away. "You're in charge now, so I want you to start acting like a leader. Girls, be sure to listen to everything Gonza says, but keep your own prudence just in case."

"But… milady…"

"That is all," she said, and without ever turning to look back, Eboshi followed Raynard closely, out of the town and into the gigantic demon's hands. Before she vanished completely, she tipped her hat to Ashitaka, Jack, and even San.

"Well Ashitaka, it looks like this is goodbye," she said. "I want you to keep charge of things when Gonza's actions become questionable. Noble warrior Jack, for what you have done for us, I thank you from here until eternity. And you, Princess Mononoke…"

"Be silent!" roared San. "I hate you! Go away with that despicable man and never come back! Good riddance!!" Eboshi merely smiled.

"Well! I'm glad to see that there are some things that do not change." And with that final smile, Eboshi vanished from sight as the large demon carried her with its master into the forest, to a place that would be concealed forever.

The land was silent once again, and void of all things evil. The sky was still cloudy and dark, and the air bore a chill to it that made even the most resilient bodies shiver. In the cold of the empty afternoon day, San stood silently as she watched the demon vanish away. An enraged look was on her face, and fire was forever burning in her eyes. One would think that she would be glad to see Eboshi leave forever, and this was indeed true. But something else nipped at her mind, something that didn't seem quite right. That had gone just a bit too well, in her opinion.

"…San?" Askitaka put his arm on her shoulder, and she managed to give him a weak, empty smile.

"I'm glad they're gone," she whispered, though truth be told, San felt like she had not seen the last of either one of them. There was something about the way Raynard treated her that sent a horrified shiver up her spine, and the way that Eboshi looked at her before she left…

"Shouldn't we follow them?" said Jack. "I have a bad feeling about all this. I do not know Lady Eboshi as well as either one of you, but I do have the feeling that this necromancer is going to plan something evil, especially now with Eboshi in his clutches."

"I feel the same way," agreed Ashitaka. "But I don't know. Maybe he really just wants to live with her, and to love her for the rest of his days. I don't know. But you are right, there's something amiss about all this. I have a very bad feeling inside of me… like there was something more to Raynard than meets the eye. I think we should at least follow them and see what they're up to."

"Agreed. San, are you coming with us?" A silent pause.

"You think I'm actually going to _help_ that woman?"

"We're not helping her, we're just going to see what they're up to." She bristled, and made a silent snarl as she stared emptily at the ground.

"I hate that woman… I want nothing to do with her!"

"San…"

"No!!" Ashitaka and Jack looked at the enraged woman in silence, then at each other.

"All right," sighed the younger man. "We'll go by ourselves. San, take care of this place while we're gone. I don't want any more demons to invade."

"Right--and you take care of yourself. Both of you." Ashitaka smiled, and was just brave enough to pull San into a fond embrace.

"We will."


	9. Ambition, Pride, Passion, Hate

__

Mononoke Samurai

Part Nine: Ambition, Pride, Passion, Hate

There was not a trail for Jack and Ashitaka to follow as they gave a steady chase to Raynard. They had perhaps allowed too great a time lapse for the madman to get away, and with the stride of the demon he was "riding" on, he and Eboshi could've been miles away by that time. Since nobody knew anything about Raynard (except Eboshi herself), nobody could tell either warrior where he lived, or how to get there, or even what to look for. Jack could assume that once Raynard reached his destination, he would most likely stay there to "catch up on old times" with Eboshi, so it was likely that he would stay there.

But the question still remained. Where was Raynard hiding out?

Here was where the two young men needed San's tracking skills. If the wolf-girl had went along with them, she would have been able to sniff out the villainy that was exuded by the demon, or the insanity by Raynard, or the eternally-present hatred she felt for Eboshi. But no, San stayed behind in Iron Town rather than joining them. Considering her past with Eboshi, her decision wasn't a very surprising one, just a very unhelpful one. Jack and Ashitaka were going to have to find Raynard and Eboshi by themselves.

Still, they managed to make do with what they had already. The large demon that had carried Raynard into Iron Town left a small, almost unnoticeable trail behind. One would think that a monster of that size and girth would leave the most clear and obvious path behind it, probably bending trees and smashing rocks and putting large footprints in the ground, but the monster barely left anything for them to go on. In fact, the only way they could discern its presence at all were the occasional "black spots" they saw here and there, probably left over from the demon as it shuffled along. These "black spots" weren't much, and they were terribly hard to find, but it was the only thing either man had to go on.

Jack and Ashitaka spent quite a bit of the remaining day tracking down the demon and its two riders. The forest surrounding Iron Town was an immense one, and for the first time ever, Ashitaka secretly wished that it had not been restored. Such a large forest as this was a perfect place for a few people to hide out in, so it was not a blessing to be able to scour through the woods to find them. Besides, the forest only made the pursuit more difficult by camouflaging the "black spots", and when night well, the two warriors decided to rest for the time being. There really wasn't anything else they could do.

When first light came, both Jack and Ashitaka woke up almost at the same time, and silently began their pursuit once again. The passing hours of night had not hidden the spots of darkness left behind by the enormous demon, so the hunt was on again. By that time, Eboshi and Raynard might have arrived at their destination, unless it was extremely far away. Both warriors hoped that the mad necromancer didn't "live" too far away, because they were already experiencing a bit of fatigue from tracking him down. The cause of their pursuit was to follow Eboshi and her apparent beloved, and to make sure that neither of them were getting into trouble--and perhaps, perhaps, to put a stop to all that madness. Raynard was a threat no matter where he went, and it was Jack's job to eliminate such a threat.

So they continued weaving through the forest, in-between trees, over rocks, across chasms, through rivers, and over the endless fields of flora that decorated the floor of the forest. Neither one of them had the time to appreciate the beauty of the woods around them, nor the gentle stillness of the air and the brooks--and if they did, it was to locate more of the dark spots that the large demon had left behind. Their search would end up taking one more day at the rate they were going, so Jack ended up hunting for food while the two of them were on the move.

When the next day came, Jack and Ashitaka finally came to the end of the beast's dark "tracks", and found themselves looking at a very large cave that had been cut in the foothills of a magnificent mountain. The place was not too terribly obvious, since there was likely more caves around, but the tracks of darkness led to this one in particular. Jack and Ashitaka breathed out a sigh of relief as they came to it, and both young men deduced that it was here where their foe resided. There was no activity to far, and since they were tired from their journey, both young men decided to rest and wait.

-----

"Well, here we are, my dear," smiled Raynard as he helped Eboshi into his home. "Tell me, how do you like it? Be brutal, now--I spent many hours fixing it up just right. Of course, it will never be equivalent to the alchemy rooms they had in Europe, but…"

"It will do," she said faintly. She and Raynard gazed at each other, lovers separated across time and great distance, and brought back the old, fond memories she had of spending her youth with this man. She remembered that special night they spent together, where they shared each other under the stars and beside a merry, passionate fire. She remembered the midnight conversations they had, about their individual dreams and the goal that they wanted to achieve--and the occasional hiss of provocation they would whisper from time to time. Eboshi couldn't help but smile--she was so young back then!

"Are you pleased with what you see?" he asked. "It's a pity that it's nowhere near as bright as I wanted it to be. Ah, well. Well, Eboshi, now that I have ridden off into the sunset with my fair damsel, what shall we do next? Shall this prince and princess live happily ever after?"

"You're hardly a prince," she said wryly, "and I'm no princess."

"You're _my_ princess, Eboshi."

"Oh, stop it!" she chuckled. "Ah, Raynard, still a dirty old man…"

"Old?" he parroted. "My dear sweet lady Eboshi! I am not old! I'm barely a year your senior! I'm not even forty yet, my love!"

"I know," she said with a bright grin. Eboshi walked over to him, and gave him an embrace of apology. "Sorry… I do love to tease you, though, but only because I love you so."

"And I love you, very much," he replied softly. They kissed, twice, and grew a little more serious. "But really, my lady, what shall we do now? Dare I ask that we try and have another child?"

"Raynard…" Uncomfortably, Eboshi began to stroke the remainder of her right arm, the one that Moro had bitten off so long ago. It was a habit of hers that appeared only when she was under great distress, as if there was some ghostly remnant of the past she still grieved over.

"Yes? What is it, my dear? What troubles you so?" Eboshi bit her lip, and stroked her shoulder again.

"…Our child… is…"

"I know," he said softly. "…Yes, I do know what happened to the little one--perhaps more so than you."

"I know as well as you do!" she retorted. "But Raynard… you were not serious when…" He suddenly silenced her with a kiss, and drew her in to hold her delicate, strong, feminine body. Raynard placed his face up against the side of her neck, nuzzling her like he did so many years before, and whispered things even he could not interpret. A word of loving comfort (or two) were snuck into the nothings, and by the time he drew away to smile at her again, she was looking a little better.

"Only if you desire it, my love." She blushed.

"We'll see."

In the dead of night, Raynard's eyes fluttered open suddenly. He awoke to find his beloved nestled close to him, her delicate and fair skin glowing just barely in the moonlight that spilled into the warm cave. Eboshi's beauty was not lost on Raynard, but something even greater gnawed at his soul, until it became so absolutely unbearable that he began to scream.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Again and again, the orange-haired madman let out vicious howl after vicious howl, screaming out from some extreme injury or nightmare. The howls reached Iron Town itself, and stirred San from her restless sleep, and the Princess Mononoke shivered as she dared think of what sort of demon could make such a noise.

Eboshi woke up.

"Ray! What's the matter! What is it?"

"The pain!!" he screamed. "Stop it! Don't know what you're doing! No! NO! I'm not that anymore! I don't want it! The PAIN!! Increasing! I'm not that man anymore! I want peace! I want love! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!"

"What is the problem?!" screamed Eboshi, but by that time, Raynard was a writhing lunatic, completely uncontrollable and raving without any sense in his head at all. He became maniacally violent, and twitched and jerked so much that he fell out of bed. Eboshi was at his side in an instant, screaming into his ear and demanding to know what sort of demons were eating away at him. Raynard's vicious, sudden insanity cleared for but a moment, and in that time, his wild orange eyes burned with intense fire as they gazed at Eboshi.

"…Help me…" he whispered hoarsely. "Help me…"

"Help you with what? What is it? What do you want me to do?"

"…H…ellll…p… mmm… eeeee…"

"Raynard! Raynard! What should I do!" Raynard's terrified fce suddenly exploded into a violent cackle of laughter, and he screamed out a guffaw powerful enough to crack the rock walls. He rolled around, completely uncontrollable, and continued to mutter the same nonsensical words over and over again:

"I must create another! I must construct another being! Must make another! Must create more! It _demands_ another creation!!!"

"What is it?!" screamed Eboshi. "Raynard! Raynard!! What is it??!" As her beloved rolled around the floor, clawing his way back to his feet, Eboshi noticed that his bare back was now glowing with an intense flame. Her first reaction was to pour water on him, but when she got a closer look, she became horrified at what she saw. There was a mark on his back, a drawing, of a creature so complex and maddening that it could exist only in psychology. It was a uroborus, a creature that simultaneously destroyed itself and gave birth to itself, and it was glowing like the hair and eyes of Raynard Gelasso.

"Burning!" he screamed. "Must make another! Another! ANOTHER!!!"

"Raynard!!!"

"HELP ME, MY BELOVED!!!!!"

"What was that?" Jack suddenly broke out of his sleep, his ears picking up a shrieking sound so powerful, that even a few of the people in Iron Town could hear it. Ashitaka had heard it too, and in the darkness of the night, he could not come up with an answer.

"It sounds like it came from that cave," he pointed. Jack grimly noticed that this had been the same cave where the large demon's tracks led. He braced himself, and though he wished there was more light to see by, he knew that there was no better time to strike at Raynard than now.

"Come on!" he shouted. "Lady Eboshi could be in trouble! We must investigate!" Ashitaka agreed, and the two warriors stormed towards the cave with their swords drawn. Instantly, an explosion of flames barred their way, and when the fire extinguished itself, a trinity of nasty demons stood in its stead. One was the large monster that Raynard had been riding on, another resembled a gigantic scorpion, still another looked to be a type of Minotaur. All three demons seemed completely mindless, completely vicious, and completely set on annihilating the humans before them.

Jack and Ashitaka glared at the beasts coldly.

"Let us dance," said Jack huskily, and the two warriors leaped into a vicious battle…

Jack screamed after the scorpion first, his blade held out in front of him like the lance of a knight on horseback. He vaguely remembered fighting something like this monster in his very first duel against Aku, except now he had a few more years of experience on his side, as well as Ashitaka, and this was not exactly the lair of an evil wizard he fought in.

Jack slashed at the scorpion, catching it by the stinger of its tail. The two of them held their stance for awhile, testing the others' strength while extending their own lives a little further. The scorpion, with its larger mass, finally shoved Jack away, leaving the samurai to prepare himself for another round. He merely held his sword in a ready position, waiting and watching the vicious monster, hoping that it made some kind of mistake.

While he was traveling around the world in his youth, Jack had studied the fighting abilities of "normal" scorpions from Chinese monks, so he knew how they moved fairly well. If Raynard was as smart as he claimed, then he would have created this beastly giant as accurately as possible, and herein laid the beast's weakness. Jack knew how smaller scorpions fought, so he applied this knowledge to this battle, and struck again.

The monster blocked with one of its pincers, and used the other to slap Jack away. He fell backwards without his sword, which had been caught in the grip of the monster's claw. It scuttled towards him quickly, stabbing at the ground with its tail and swinging its claw around like a morning star. Jack was weaponless, but far from defenseless: he had a plan forming already.

As the scorpion neared him, Jack quickly leaped to the side, letting the beast charge past him for a brief moment. Before the monster could turn around (he had to act quick because the scorpion is a fast creature), Jack quickly grabbed hold of the monster's tail with both arms and legs, and hung on tight as the beast turned into a bucking bronco. Jack was now safe from the monster's claws, and the tail could only stab forwards and not backwards. All he had to do was hang on…

Ashitaka, meanwhile, was taking on the bullish Minotaur. The young Emishi prince was no spring chicken when it came to fighting: he had done battle with samurais and even the insane god-turned-demon Nago, so he knew how to handle beasts such as this. The Minotaur obviously had an offensive and defensive advantage, but the axe it swung was heavy and slow, giving Ashitaka the edge on speed.

The young prince leaped out of the way of the large axe as it split the ground apart, then ran around the bull while it was pulling its weapon out of the ground. Quickly, he rushed forth and slashed twice, barely scratching the creature but still injuring it. The Minotaur's hide was very thick, so it would probably take a stab wound in a critical area to slay it for good. Ashitaka kept his teeth gritted and his senses sharp the whole time the beast chased him around.

With all the noise they were making, it was a wonder that nobody else could hear them…

Jack couldn't hold on any longer, and so with his grip gone, he leaped off the scorpion's tail and made a beeline for its claw, which still carried his sword. Quickly, Jack scooped up a large rock in the ground, and carried it with him as he dashed towards the beast's face. He had to leap and swerve through impossible attacks, both from the claws and the tail, before he could make it to his destination. With a fierce toss, he threw the rock at the scorpion's face, injuring and stunning it severely, and buying himself a bit of time as well.

As the creature writhed around, clawing at its face, it dropped the magic sword it had been holding so proudly. Jack had to slide under the creature's waving claws to grab it, and the very second the hilt was cradling in his palms, he swung it and cleaved one of the monster's claws off. The creature let out a nasty scream, and began slamming its venomous tail in every direction, hoping its random strikes would hit its target.

Jack would have to run at top speed if he hoped to destroy that tail--or maybe not. He kept watch of the dangerous appendage as it rained down on the ground, and when it drew close to him, he made a quick slash with his sword. The barbed part of the tail was hacked off, now rendering the scorpion much less harmful, and still screaming and writhing from the injuries it received.

Without wasting time, Jack leaped up on the creature's body, and quickly swung his sword to eliminate the rest of the tail for good. Using his momentum, he then swung around and slammed his sword into the creature's back, skewering it into the ground and destroying it for good. The very second the creature died, a shroud of mist formed, and disappeared as it flew into the night.

Jack let out a sigh of relief.

Prince Ashitaka took a fast swing at the Minotaur as it batted at him with its arms, producing another scar yet not inflicting much more. The creature growled, snorting and huffing madly, and stormed towards the young man like a true _toro_. Ashitaka leaped out of the way like any bullfighter would, and quickly spun around to slash at the monster's backside. The brute snarled again, and decided it would be better to throw its axe away, and crush the young man with its bare hands instead. Suddenly, Ashitaka lost a bit of his speed advantage.

The bull charged towards him again, its horns aimed to maul and gore. Ashitaka knew he could not counter the attack, and since the monster's speed was now suddenly impressive, he could not run much, either. Without many more options, he went for broke and threw his sword at the beast. The blade twirled in the air and crashed right into the charging beast's forehead, splitting it open and showering the night air with a spray of crimson. Ashitaka took a deep breath of amazement as the beast fell, and thanked all the gods of the world that his desperate attack had worked.

Yet the beast still lived, though in great pain. Steam was exhaled from its nose like a geyser, and the creature twitched in a vain effort to get up. The sword had merely cut a severe slash on the beast's brow, and did not kill it. The young prince decided to remedy this error, and with little to worry about, he snatched his sword up off the ground, and plunged it into the Minotaur's body until a black mist formed in the air. Once this fog vanished forever, Ashitaka crumbled to the ground and let out a deep breath, and gave Jack a brief smile.

Suddenly, the earth began to tremble, and the third demon, the largest, grew angry as its two tiny victims forgot about it. It began to split the ground open, and growled in fury over being ignored for so long. Well, no more. The monster towered over Jack and Ashitaka, and continued to pound its foot into the ground until both warriors were shivering out of control. The earthquakes continued, and while the two young men were distracted, it reached out and grabbed a nearby boulder, so it could smash their bodies into the ground.

A whistling sound broke through the air, and a medium-length dagger soon found itself plunged into the immense demon's neck area. More surprised than injured, the demon accidentally dropped the boulder on its own head, and let out such a loud growl of pain and fury that even the deaf could hear it. Wounded and enraged, it turned around to see who dared attack it. Ashitaka identified his savior for Jack once again, in just a single word.

The Princess Mononoke smiled, and not needing any introductions, she joined the fight against the third demon.

-----

Raynard Gelasso was still cackling madly as he shuffled his way into the makeshift laboratory he had built inside the cave. His face was aglow with insanity, and his burning orange eyes danced with unprecedented wickedness as he began to concoct another demon for his evil purposes. Eboshi, barely clothed in a robe she had thrown on, came into the room with a face full of concern and horror; her love had barely bothered getting dressed in his haste.

"Raynard, what has gotten into you?!" she demanded. "This isn't like you! I know you are mad, love, but it has always been a controlled insanity up until this point! What has happened?!"

"Oh, my dear, it really is a terrible story, really it is," he said darkly. "Did you chance upon seeing that Uroborus on my back?"

"You mean the image of a snake eating itself and giving birth to itself?"

"That's the one," he said with a dark smile. "You could say… it is a curse and a blessing of mine: a blessing because it is where I derive my insane power, and a curse because… well… needless to say, it does cause me to lose my mind once in awhile. Terrible price to pay, perhaps one I now regret--all for sorcery, dear, all for sorcery."

"…Sorcery?"

"A magic spell," he emphasized as he made his demons. "Or a magic curse. Whatever. The point is, this thing on my back has been driving me absolutely mad, and there are only three things in this world that have the ability to negate such an effect."

"What's that?" He turned his head and smiled at her fondly.

"One of them is you, my precious. The other, as you might expect, is the image of a wolf. You know I can't control myself when those ghastly beasts are present, and even this great sorcery cannot overcome my phobia."

"…I see," she whispered, as the man stirred up foreign and forbidden material. "And the third?"

"The third…" He sighed, trailed off, and resumed working without ever giving Eboshi an answer. Yet somehow, this woman that he loved so dearly could interpret his silence.

"…I see… So you figured it out?"

"I have. And you?"

"…Yes. How much love do you have for--"

"Boundless love, my beauty," he muttered. "Boundless love. The same I hold for you, my dear--the same I hold for you. And you?" A pause. Eboshi sadly walked towards him, and wrapped her single arm around his body, crushing her bosom up against the ghastly tattoo on his back.

"Boundless," she whispered. He smiled, chuckled, and continued working.

"I must say, you don't show it." This time, it was Eboshi's turn to chuckle.

"Well, if it became public knowledge…"

"I understand. Oh, be a dear and kill me, won't you? I don't think I'll be able to make any more demons when I'm dead."

"You know I can't do that, Ray," she replied calmly, without ever missing a beat. "Besides, I would want to die with you."

"Dare I deprive the world of its only true beauty?" he smirked. Eboshi smiled warmly at him, and gave his neck a kiss.

"You treat me too well, love. I don't deserve half of it."

"Ah, but that is _my_ line. So, Eboshi, would you have me killed to save all those lives, including… well, you know?"

"No," she replied, nuzzling her face in his shoulders, "I would not. Perhaps for that one, but…" Raynard interrupted her with a chuckle, and an adjustment of his glasses, and an eerie comment.

"Then, the cycle of ambition, pride, passion, and hate shall continue."

__

To be concluded…


	10. Finding What Was Lost

__

Mononoke Samurai

Part Ten: Finding What Was Lost

Once the vicious battle came to an equally-vicious conclusion, Ashitaka, Jack, and San all took a well-earned rest from fighting. The three of them were pretty spent, and no matter what dangers laid ahead of them in the cave, they would still need to rest up. As they caught their breath, Jack couldn't help but notice that San and Ashitaka were stealing glances at each other, trying to convey something silently as they wheezed. Finally, without a hidden smile, Ashitaka spoke up first.

"You came," he said simply. San gave him a questioning look. "You really came for us, San. I didn't think you would. What made you change your mind?"

"What do you mean?"

"I thought that you weren't going to accompany us because of… well, you know." San turned her gaze to the ground, and her face grew a little dark and somber as she kept her silence.

"I know… but… I… I heard something, a few hours ago… Something that turned my blood into ice… And, I just had the strangest feeling, a premonition maybe, that… if I didn't do anything, then you and your friend would be in trouble."

"So this isn't about Eboshi?" A pause.

"…Not… completely," she managed. "It's true I still hate her, but… I would rather not have her working with this new monster. Believe it or not, Ashitaka, but to me, Eboshi is the lesser of two evils." He smiled dryly, and placed his hand on her shoulder in support. By that time, both he and Jack were rested up as well, though not completely. It would have to do, though, since there was trouble afoot and it didn't look like any of them were going to be safe once the maniacal Raynard continued to exist. With bodies still aching a bit, and spirits and souls uncertain about the jobs before them, the three warriors stood up, and ventured towards the cave to face the black blinding nightmares…

----------

"They are coming," said Raynard in a dark voice. Eboshi, petrified pale from looking at her now-insane lover, could only whisper,

"Who?"

"They are coming," he repeated softly. "The 'demons'. They are coming. I can feel them. There is no question about it. They, the 'demons', they are coming, and I can feel them. Heh, heh, heh…" Raynard's chuckle evolved into a fit of maniacal laughter, one which not even Eboshi could control. She tried, though--the occasionally-noble woman dashed forward, placing her only hand on the shoulder of her beloved.

"Raynard! What's wrong? What's happening?"

"I can _feel_ their _screams!!_" he cackled. "Feel the burn! FEEL the burn!!!" Raynard clutched his head, and suddenly jerked to the ground, writhing and wriggling until he had removed his outer clothes. He struggled to get rid of his shirts and robes, making Eboshi horrified with fear and his own self suffer. When he removed most of his garments, however, Eboshi was aghast to find that the image of a uroborus that was on her beloved's backside was now glowing like a flame, and it even felt hot when touched.

"It burns!!" he screamed malevolently. "IT BURNS!!! THE PAIN! THE… TORTURE!!! AAAUUUUUGHHHH!!!"

"Snap out of it, Ray!!" barked Eboshi desperately as she shook him. "Snap out of it!"

"I can't!" he wept. "I can't! Eboshi! HELP!!!"

"How!"

"Get out of the way!" he screamed suddenly. Eboshi barely had time to dive out of the way as Raynard flung himself on the floor. The madman began scratching his bare back up against the cavern floor, babbling madly as he sang an insane hymn.

"Worlds of the fist, brooks downing there, which way up, my dear, which way up? _Havvo, cavvim, reduch, maa! Machdo, omnepu, rhedo, ra! By the powers bestowed upon me, by the divine and the hellish, by the sacred and the chaotic powers of Heaven and Hell, and by the ever-watchful eye of chaos and order, I beseech thee to hear my call, to listen to my name, and to bring thyself up from the depths!_"

"What is happening!!" screamed Eboshi, but Raynard was completely oblivious to her call.

"Hahahahahahaha!! An army…! An army…!! Bring forth unto me an army, consisting of the most devious monsters to ever be spawned! Come forth, obey your Master--EBOSHI!!!! I CAN'T--master! Master! Come and obey your master!!!"

"Snap out of it!" shouted Eboshi. "Raynard, please!!" In a panic, the woman embraced the half-dressed man, herself still clothed in a nightgown. Raynard was uncontrollable by that point, but it was obvious that there were glimmers of sanity here and there that erupted out.

"…Eboshi," he squealed sometimes, "help… this… isn't… me… my love!"

"I know," she whimpered. "Please, please, come back to me!"

"I…" Raynard grimaced powerfully, and spat back out at the demons that ate at his soul. "Do not!!" he screamed. "Do what you must to me, but leave Eboshi alone! Leave her alone, and the girl, too! Do what you want, but if you touch them once, even to brush your ghostly fingers against them, I shall _personally_ destroy you and reduce you back to the mist that spawned you! DO YOU HEAR ME!!"

The beasts that Raynard had summoned, the legion of demons that came forth from his magical incantations and the festering insanity that burned at his very backside, those very same mindless demons agreed to the terms their master gave them, and all of them flew out of the cave like black wisps of wind. Their number stood at fifty strong, and their combined strength was greater than anyone, perhaps even Raynard himself, could comprehend…

Eboshi could barely even comprehend what had happened. The man that she loved and cared for with every depth her self had to offer was writhing in some unknown pain and insanity, and there was scarcely anything she could do to prevent it. She was at least thankful that Raynard had enough of his senses left to instruct his creations to leave the two women alone, but the mere thought of him concocting those monsters was more horrifying than anything she had done. Even cutting off the Forest Spirit's head was not quite so vulgar and blasphemous…

"Looks like it's time to end all this," he said eerily. "You must admit, Eboshi… One way or another, all of this shall end here." She swallowed fearfully, but within the confines of her mind, a thousand storms were raging on at once. The man she loved and cherished was caught forever inside this vacuum of insanity, doomed to tumble around in madness and writhe in misery and terror. She desperately wanted to help, and though he was mad, she would never turn her back on him, but how…

"Raynard…" He cackled out loud as the immense army of demons flew out of the cave, and could distinctly hear screaming sounds coming from outside. The sounds of a desperate battle could be heard as well. Eboshi's surprise escalated, and suddenly she realized a few more pieces to the puzzle. Abandoning her mad love for the time, she bolted outside wearing little more than a nightgown, and gasped in surprise as she saw Jack, Ashitaka, and San fighting against the demon army.

"You are wondering how they got here," came a voice from behind her. She turned around, and saw Raynard standing there, looking eerie as always.

"…Yes."

"I believe they were concerned about you," he replied with a devilish grin. Eboshi blinked her eyes.

"All of them?"

"Well, those two young men, anyway. The Princess, however…" He chuckled, adjusted his glasses, and made a cough. "Dear Eboshi, let us just say that she did not want the two of us to conspire together. Ironic, isn't it?"

"……Yes…"

----------

Jack, Ashitaka, and San had barely begun to charge towards the cave where Raynard had took Eboshi when the demons spewed out from it. An entire legion of dark forces flew towards them, covering the sky with darkness and rendering everyone's ears useless with their powerful shrieking. Above all the chaos and disaster was the laughter of Raynard, and the demented look in his eyes, and the hidden screams that were choked in his throat.

"Scatter!" shouted Jack, and the three warriors split apart. Jack instantly bounded off of a rock, a monster chasing him movement for movement. The samurai leaped and jumped across the mountainside, staying just one step ahead of the demon as he leaped. But finally, when he seemed to come to a dead end, Jack jumped out, kicked against the rocky wall and flipped in the air. His sword was out and slashing in moments, and the demons were down by one.

Ashitaka, meanwhile, was dueling with two at once. These were much larger and slower than the one that had chased Jack, but their power was greater as well. The Emishi prince was far too concerned with protecting himself against the claws of the monsters to do anything else: he would block, and parry, and narrowly miss being shredded, and at times, the claws would just brush up against him, ripping his clothes a little. The injury went unnoticed, but his speed doubled briefly for a moment afterwards, and with the extra boost, he sliced a scar on the faces of each monster.

San was doing battle with a much taller foe, who used its scythe-like arms to keep her at bay. It knew that its master had been dead-serious when he made that declaration, so the creature could not even touch San. It could, however, keep her busy so that she would not help her friends. San's skills at defending herself were better than the beast's sour attempt at an attack, and soon she was driving the beast away. It slipped a little as it teetered backwards, and the very tip of its elbow just barely grazed up against San's skin.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH HER!!!!!!!" screamed Raynard, and with a sudden thrust of his hand, the monster that had been attacking San exploded into a disgusting splatter of mist. The fog disappeared into the air, leaving San by herself. She turned around and stared at Raynard, wondering why her newest and deadliest enemy was so intent on her safety. San couldn't understand why somebody so demented and evil took such an interest with her…

But she was willing to exploit this.

Steeling her courage, San rushed forth into a pseudo-suicidal attack, deliberately placing herself into the path of danger over and over again. She ran towards one monster as it was about to impale Ashitaka, and flinched as its spear came perilously close to her. But Raynard came true to his word, and with a piercing scream, he destroyed the monster before it ever had a chance to touch San. The Forest Princess breathed out a sigh of relief as the monster died, and gave Ashitaka a big smile.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she said. He smiled back at her and nodded his head, and together, the two of them went on one of the most dangerous offensives ever known. Ashitaka would find some demon to attack, and San would either try to get in its way or else have it attack her by accident, and no matter how much Raynard prized his demons, there was still some part of him that refused to let San get hurt.

"Jack!" they called. The samurai finished off another beast and ran towards the two, and they quickly shared their plan with him. "San and I are going to take care of these demons. It seems as if that necromancer won't let any of them hurt San. I don't know why, but we can use that to our advantage. While we're taking care of them, you get Eboshi to a safe place and see if you can't do anything about _him_."

"I understand," replied the samurai, and the three piled their hands on top of each other's in agreement. Jack ran off to rescue the older woman…

"Jack!" He turned around briefly, seeing San staring at him with a bit of pride, concern, and even sadness in her gaze. "Good luck." He smiled, and continued sprinting towards Eboshi and her ill-fated lover. San and Ashitaka, meanwhile, took care of as many demons as they could.

----------

"Well, would you look at that?" sang Raynard merrily. Eboshi nodded her head wisely.

"Yes. It seems as if that girl is eliminating your creations very well."

"She's such a good girl," said Raynard proudly. "Such a good girl…"

"Are you not angry that she is destroying your demons?" Raynard shrugged.

"No… and yes…" Eboshi smirked wryly, and looked off into the distance to watch the fight. From time to time, Raynard would scowl and destroy one of the demons before it could attack San, but other than that, they were both silent.

"You know, if that came from anybody but you, I'd say that they were crazy. But really, dear, what do you mean? I know you are not right in the head, beloved, and I do love a part of your insanity. That's what makes you so special, love. But seriously, what has come over you? I really would like to know--for old time's sake, of course."

"It's really not quite so complicated," replied Raynard casually as he adjusted his glasses. "To put things bluntly, not to insult your limitless intelligence, my dear, but you see this tattoo on my back?" She nodded her head.

"I must admit, you do look better with your shirt off."

"You _are_ a naughty one, Eboshi!!" he chuckled. "Really, though, let us be serious. Well, to be perfectly blunt, and again, I'm not insulting your intelligence, but this tattoo was sort of… well, you could say that it was my little 'pact with the devil'."

"Pact with the devil?" she parroted. "What do you mean?"

"A regrettable occurrence that I wish I could erase," he muttered darkly. "I told you when we parted so long ago that I wanted power and skills; well, I now have them, but at the price of my own sanity. Darling Eboshi, the woman I am not worthy to even look at, I do believe that I have given away the man you loved for this accursed beast on my back, and though my power is unimaginable now, my own psyche is--for lack of a better word--like so much wheat ground up into dough."

"But why--"

"A mistake," he interrupted gently. "And let us leave it at that. You will not like it, my precious, but the only true way to cure my rotten mind is to kill me. Of course, you will object…"

"Most definitely!" she barked. "Raynard, I cannot--"

"I assumed as much," he sighed. "…Oh dear. It appears as if that man in white is coming straight for us. Dear Eboshi, do you think he could possibly kill me?"

"I would not let him," she said darkly. "Not without taking me with you." He smiled at her warmly, though his "rotten mind" prohibited him from embracing her like he wanted.

"My precious jewel… I do not deserve such devotion…"

"Nor do I deserve such admiration," she replied coolly. Raynard merely smiled as Jack approached them with his sword drawn. The samurai stopped long enough to catch his breath and stare down the mad necromancer.

"Let her go," he growled. "I may decide to extend some mercy to you, vile wizard, if you release this woman back into our custody. Refuse, and you shall pay for the consequences!"

"Stand down, samurai," commanded Eboshi. "I came with this man out of my own free will. You cannot deny me that."

"But, my lady…"

"No, let him play Knights of the Round Table, Eboshi," said Raynard. "If he wishes to fight me for your honor, then it is a fight I shall gladly participate in. Good man, do you honestly believe that you can defeat my eternal love for this woman?"

"We will see what sort of circumstances are given to us," he replied huskily. Raynard grinned, and prepared to fire a lethal spell at the samurai. Jack gritted his teeth, and rushed towards Raynard with his sword singing in the air. The force of the two met suddenly, with a violent crash and a brilliant flash of light, but when the dust settled and everything became visible again, it was Raynard who was shocked.

"My… my pulsar attack! The pulsar spell did not work! But, how?!"

"The sword that I wield is stronger than any magician's spell!" declared Jack boldly as he brandished said sword. "Even the works of Aku himself could not withstand such a blade! Now your future is emptiness!!" Raynard, for all his insanity and bravado, could only shirk and back away as Jack crept towards him with lethal deliberation. As he slithered away, Raynard caught a glimpse of the battle, and saw one of his demons with its tentacles around San. All concern for his own life went away as he screamed.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!!!!!" The monster perished from a single wave of Raynard's hand, and Jack saw his chance. He lunged towards Raynard with his sword, and nearly came close to impaling the man. But at the last second, Eboshi rammed into him, pushing Jack out of the way before he could strike. The samurai tumbled along with the lady, and rolled straight into the clutches of an awaiting demon, who took both Jack and Eboshi into his greedy arms.

"YOU MALIGNANT CURSE!!!!" spewed Raynard violently as he struck out against the demons. "DID I NOT WARN YOU?!?! Did I not tell you to keep away from these women?! Now, you must all DIE!!!!!" With that, the mad necromancer truly lost his sanity, as he raised his hands to the air and chanted out a spell that completely cancelled out all the monsters he had previously called forth.

Smoke and mist were the only remnants of the beasts, as Raynard stood there with his hands raised and a grimace of terror and rage fixed on his face. He grunted, and crumbled towards the ground in pain, and was caught instantly by Eboshi.

"Raynard!!" The noble woman held onto her only love with her single arm, and shed tears for him as his body shivered from weakness. With that same eerie cackle and calm smile, however, he assured her that he was okay.

"Just exhaustion," he dismissed it as, "and nothing more. I will… be okay. But… bring the Princess over here. The Princess… Mononoke, would you?" Eboshi looked over at San, without any hate or malice in her gaze for the first time in ages, but she didn't receive the same look from San.

"I will never…"

"Please," begged Raynard weakly. "I… have something to say to you."

"What could a monster like you possibly have to say to me?!" she demanded. Raynard's mouth curled up in a feral smile.

"…I know something about your father," he whispered. San immediately took a step backwards in surprise, and lurched towards the madman in anger.

"WHAT!! What do you mean?! I have no father, you wretch!"

"Oh… on the contrary, my dear Princess," smiled Raynard weakly. "You did indeed… have a father. I… knew this man, very… very well…"

"How could you possibly know something about that?!" she spat. "Talk!!"

"Your father… would have been proud of you, Princess," he said. "…And so would your mother. Your… _real_… mother…"

"You lie…" San snarled, a look on her face so fierce that it would have frightened Moro away. "You are nothing but a liar, a man who even gives humans a bad name. Yours is the kind whom even devils revile… Your dead carcass is not even worthy to be spat upon…" As usual, Raynard merely chuckled and shrugged San's words off, like water from a duck's back.

"Ah well, there's no use talking to her!" He let out a chuckle, and freed himself from the grasp of Eboshi just long enough to stand. Before he could do or say anything, however, there came a trembling from the cave he had just left. The entire planet began to shake from some unknown fear, and the skies above grew dark and foreboding, almost as if a greater terror was erupting out of the mouth of Hell.

"What now?" said Jack nervously. "Is there another demon we neglected?"

"Yes, you could say that," said Raynard darkly. "The final and most horrible monster of them all! The very same one that has taken hold of my mind, body, and soul! The enemy of every single one among us, and the enemy of all living creatures! The dreaded Grand Devourer!!!" All eyes turned towards the cave, in anticipation of what would come out of it. In a flash, a beastly monster emerged, resembling a gargantuan serpent-dragon hybrid, and snapped its jaws at Eboshi and Raynard. The maniacal wizard screamed back as the creature bolted towards him, and aimed his hand at the beast for a powerful spell.

"You will not dominate me any longer!" he exclaimed. "And even if my soul is blackened and turned into a husk, you shall not lay a finger upon this Lady Eboshi, nor this Princess Mononoke! DIE!!!" A gust of powerful energy struck the beast, sending it crawling back into the cave briefly. Raynard limped after it with Eboshi supporting his weakened body, but then the ground _really_ began to shake and crumble, so much so that it felt like the sky itself would fall upon them.

"I have a plan!" he shouted to everyone in general. "There is a system of powerful explosives buried under this cave, for some emergency or another that I anticipated, but the control to activate it is outside the cave! I will go in and keep the Devourer at bay, but I will need everyone else to activate the detonator! It is outside, right next to that pine tree!!!" Jack, Ashitaka, and San all turned to search for the tree, and found a device whose technology was well ahead of anything that era had seen.

"Raynard, don't be a fool!" shouted Eboshi. "You will not kill yourself just to keep that beast at bay!"

"I have to!!!" he replied. "It is the only way I can atone for my sins!!"

"Then I'm going to die with you!!" she shouted. "I have spent the past seventeen years mourning and aching over your loss! I will not live through the rest of my life without you! I love you too much to lose you again!!"

"…Eboshi…" Sadly, Raynard looked into the beautiful face of his beloved, who he had burned for and pined for and yearned for ever since the day they first met, so many years ago. He took her only hand into his, using his free one to gently stroke her fair face.

"…I thought you would say something like that," he said gently. "So be it. But who will set off the detonator?" Eboshi craned her head to look outside, and her eyes found San, who was watching the two with amazement.

"San will do it," she stated. San did a double-take as Eboshi mentioned her name. "Won't you, my dear girl?"

"…What?! Why should I?"

"San, you have been wanting to see me die ever since the day we first met," said Eboshi in her usual calm and quiet voice. Though the earth rumbled, it still carried into the ears of the Princess Mononoke. "I may have changed since my days of destroying the forest, but I still feel as if my body is racked with sin. San, if you can find it in your heart to slay me with my beloved, and let me have that little piece of happiness, then I shall be content." Eboshi gave the younger woman a gentle, kind, perhaps even loving smile, and Raynard conveyed the same.

"Please, Princess… I beg of you… End my life, so that this demon, and these two demons right here, do not cause any more trouble. I have suffered all my life; at least find it in your heart to ease it. Please, my dear…" The eyes of Raynard, while burning with a fiery orange glow, gazed at San with something she never thought possible from such a lunatic.

He was looking at her with love.

"I… I…"

"Please, San!" shouted Ashitaka. "It's the only way! Give them this happiness, I beg of you!" The Princess Mononoke froze briefly, and though nobody knew it at the time, she let a single tear fall from her face.

__

Why…?

Who… am I?

Who… are they?

Why did that man… save me?

Why is that woman… looking at me like that?

Who am I? Who are they?

I… want to know…

"I can't do it," she whimpered, her voice weak from emotion. Tears spurted out of her eyes, and with a final thrust, she activated the detonator that would set off the explosions hidden underneath the cave. _I can't do it…_

But I must. ………For them…

"Thank you, San," whispered Eboshi. The woman gave the Princess a smile, and Raynard did too, and then the rubble covering the top of the mountain caved in over the opening, and the two were never seen again.

Inside the cave, Eboshi and Raynard looked at each other for one last time, and prepared themselves for death.

"Well… see you in Hell, Raynard," she said emptily. He nodded his head.

"Yes… We shall indeed meet again, in Hell." The two drew in each other for their final embrace, and their mouths locked together for their final kiss, and a tear flowed down their eyes as they shed tears for the child they had lost.

And then, a bright light, and fire, and slowly, the madness withered away…

----------

The hours returning to Iron Town were mostly kept in silence. There was nothing left of the cave, except leftover rubble and a medium-sized crater. Neither Eboshi or Raynard, or the monsters that had emerged from it, could be found in the destructive wake, so it was best assumed that they had all perished. Some solace could be found in the strange disaster: Raynard and Eboshi had died happily and nobly, their souls in synch with each other's til' the end.

On the way to Iron Town, Ashitaka had tried to cheer San up, as only he knew how, but she just kept that same empty, staring, thoughtful face, all the way back. She didn't even say a word: she just kept still, as her two wolf brothers gave them gentle rides back to the town (this was how she had arrived there to meet them so quickly). Ashitaka finally gave up for the time being, and focused his attention on Jack, who was a little more open about things.

"Well, it seems as if your job is done, my friend," he addressed.

"Yes, it does."

"What will you do now?"

"I believe, once I have rested for awhile in your village, that I shall return home, to keep watch over it as it was meant to be. This necromancer might be gone, but other villains will nevertheless emerge, and it shall be up to me, or perhaps my descendants, to protect the innocent and to destroy the evil."

"It's a lonely life," said Ashitaka emptily, "…but a very noble one. Sir Jack, if ever you need the assistance of Iron Town, we will be more than happy to help." The two young men smiled at each other, and clasped hands in agreement.

"I am glad that I now have a few new friends and allies to rely upon," said Jack. "But now that Eboshi is gone, who do you think will rule over Iron Town?" Ashitaka smiled at Jack again, except this one was a little more humorous than the other.

"Well, if nobody objects, I would nominate myself." Jack smiled politely at the half-joke, and had to agree that Ashitaka would make a great chief, so long as a "certain Princess" would be there for him in times of danger… and perhaps, times of peace as well.

"We'll see," he replied as he looked over at the thoughtful San. "Only time and circumstance will tell. We'll see."

The trip to Iron Town took about ninety minutes via wolf, and Jack stayed and rested there until the following day before departing. The citizens were told of Eboshi's death, and all were informed that she had died bravely and nobly, sacrificing herself for the safety of everyone in the village, which was partially true anyway. Her funeral service was long and mournful, and a statue of Eboshi was erected in honor of one of the town's greatest heroes. San, surprisingly, had very little to say about the monument. In fact, she hardly said anything at all, at least until Jack was ready to leave.

"…It's odd," she whispered softly as the samurai was packing up some food for his return journey home. "That man and that woman… Eboshi and Raynard… the way they looked at me… For the first time ever, I did not see hate or greed or madness in their eyes, but… a feeling of _love_. And you know something, Ashitaka?"

"What?" She paused, and gave him calm look.

"I did not feel hate for them, either. I almost felt like…… I don't know. Maybe… like I could almost… feel a little sorry for them, or maybe… maybe… maybe, I felt… respect for them. I don't know. Maybe I'm just feeling a little emotional. This has all been strange for me, what with that man acting the way he was around me. Don't you think it's strange?" Ashitaka smiled at San, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, perhaps. But maybe… there are just some things best left said as blessings. We could not have won against those monsters if he had not been so obsessed. You helped us greatly, San, and though I am curious as to what kind of connection you two might have, I won't question our good fortune. Let's just… lave it at that." She smiled.

"…All right. Let us say farewell to Jack. I should thank him, for we wouldn't be in a good position without him, either. You know, Ashitaka? If there were more humans like Jack and yourself around… I wouldn't feel so antagonistic towards them. You two give me hope for humanity."

"I'm flattered," he smiled, and with nothing else to say, both Ashitaka and San left to say farewell to a friend. They didn't know what was going to happen to them in the future… but then again, half of life is going through the unforeseen and the unexpected.


	11. Epilogue: The Contest Winner

__

Mononoke Samurai

Epilogue: The Contest Winner

"I guess you could say that that's the end of my story," sighed Bastion as he nursed an empty cup of beer. "Life itself has no conclusions, and so my story really cannot end anywhere, unless you wanna count the present period. Anyway, my grandmother stopped right there, so I figured that I could, too.

"The Samurai went back to his hometown and defended it wisely, and his descendants followed in his footsteps for a few generations, then the kingdom crumbled as all kingdoms do eventually. You can still find his descendants, if you trace genealogies correctly. Speaking of which, as you all know, one of the town's treasures is the genealogy of Chief Ashitaka, who took over as leader of this town after Eboshi's death, as the records prove. You can find it in the same building that houses Eboshi's statue, written out on the wall and being expanded every generation. Any old fool can trace it down to the present period, where we all know Lady Asaka comes in."

The captivated audience around Bastion paused just long enough to glance over at Lady Asaka, who sat silently as she nursed her own drink. She had a very faint, interested smile on her mouth, and her greenish-brown eyes were glowing with wonder.

"The people who began that genealogy sweat that Ashitaka… well, for lack of a better word, 'mated for life' with the Princess Mononoke, thus giving birth to a few good generations and a line of successors that continues today. I know for a fact that this part of the story is true, but as for the mad necromancer… that might or might not have been my grandmother's doing. About four-hundred years have passed since those days, so obviously, finding records from that time period is a difficulty.

"I haven't got much else to say," he concluded, "except I guess the story ended happily, and life went on, and another word in the book of history and life was written. Pass judgment now on my story, please, although I _think_, from the reaction I got, that I will win. That's all I have to say about that." Quietly, Bastion poured more drink into his cup and slurped it down, nearly oblivious to everything else around him. For awhile, there was silence, as everyone absorbed the entire tale he had just woven for them. And then, from Lady Asaka's direction, there came the sound of clapping.

Then, the bartender began to applaud too. More and more people joined in, and soon, everyone was on their feet, giving the grizzly wanderer a standing ovation. He continued to drink, ignorant to their applause, but he had been expecting such appreciation.

Once everyone finished their applause, old Hashigama strolled over to Bastion and patted his shoulders. With a warm smile, he declared Bastion the unquestioned winner of the contest, and every person in that tavern unanimously agreed. Bastion looked on in slight boredom, tired of talking and drinking. He merely accepted his "title" with quiet dignity and grace, and thanked everyone before leaving the place.

Lady Asaka was the only one who followed him. As she strolled up, she couldn't help but take a glance at the temple that held Eboshi's statue and the genealogy that Bastion described. She had a new appreciation for both objects now, and for her ancestry, and had to admit that every time she would now pass the place, she would always smile.

"Yes, my lady?" grunted Bastion once she caught up with him. Asaka smiled.

"That really was a magnificent story, Bastion," she said. "I am amazed that you are not off entertaining some sultan in Persia. Scheherazade herself could not have told something so grand!"

"You're exaggerating, Lady Asaka," he sighed. She smiled.

"Sorry. But seriously, sir, your skills are great! One thing intrigues me, though. You said that Lord Ashitaka and Lady San mated and gave birth to my ancestors, correct? Yet, how is it that I resemble the statue in the town square? You referred to it when you were ill, but you never said much about it. Would you happen to know anything of the matter?"

"Maybe," he shrugged. "I just know what I've been told." Asaka gently took his large paw, and looked into his single eye calmly.

"Please, Bastion… would you please clear up this mystery for me? I… I want to know who I am, and who my ancestors were." Bastion smiled at Asaka emptily, but yanked his hand away from Asaka's, and calmly tipped an imaginary hat as he shuffled away.

"My lady," he said, "that is just a story that will have to be told another day."

**__**

The End


End file.
